John Vanderslice has been releasing solo albums for over a decade now, so at this point he ought to be headlining festivals and have a video or two on MTVU at the very least. Unfortunately, neither of those things have happened for him. Still, he soldiers on.
Thank goodness. “White Wilderness” is possibly the most intellectual indie rock album you’ll hear in 2011. A bold claim, I know, but the X factor this time around is The Magik*Magik Orchestra. The Orchestra, or M*M for short, is the “house orchestra” of Tiny Telephone, Vanderslice’s studio in San Francisco. They are a collective of 30+ musicians who work on an a-la-carte basis, with artists like The Dodos and Death Cab for Cutie.
Here, the orchestra and choir fit perfectly with Vanderslice’s sound. The gleeful exuberance of “Convict Lake”, written about a psychedelic trip in the Sierra Nevada mountains, is almost impossible without the horns and strings beneath it. Live, it sounds like a straightforward rock song. On the album, it is lush, textured, cheerful and optimistic. Similarly, the brass intensifies the marching rock of “Overcoat”, where the strings add wings to the song’s velocity, and on the album’s opener, “Sea Salt”, the orchestra takes a backseat to ease the listener in, but provides flourishes here and there. It’s all executed with taste and conviction.
If you were on the fence about John Vanderslice’s music before, I doubt White Wilderness will tip you over to the “drooling fan” side. His strong point remains his lyrics, which are artfully detailed but not really a standalone attraction. Overall, although the orchestra adds a novel dimension, Vanderslice hasn’t strayed far from the minimalist rock he started with in 2000. He is simply older and wiser, which certainly shows on this album.
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