Every now and then Wes and I are turned onto an album/band that is just outside of Ear Coffee's little world view that demands to be written about. Instead of ignoring them or trying to fit them into one of our existing columns, we created a new one that is named after a Prince song. Strays of the World will be Ear Coffee's home for bands and artists we think are worth talking about but don't fit in.
Prague-based singer-songwriter Tristan Puig happens to be one of those people who grabs your attention. Now, you may be wondering how someone based out of Prague has a local connection, but I assure you, dear reader, that fits into Ear Coffee's little world via our mutual love for the record label Forged Artifacts.
Puig released his first full-length record I Can't Believe They Invented It! in October of 2018. His previous release was a collection of tracks written while he was in Los Angeles. That release was a bit more middle of the road bedroom pop mixed with folk, but you can hear the very beginnings of what will lead to I Can't Believe They Invented It!. Puig's soft deep voice sings seemingly stream of consciousness lyrics over lightly strummed acoustic guitar. He taps into a place you find artists like Phil Elverum of Mount Eerie that turn simple stories into a back and forth discussions that are raw and seemingly unfiltered.
This prevailing influence makes that fact that Puig and his band traveled to Anacortes, Washington to record the album at a studio called The Unknown which is owned and operated by Elverum and Nicholas Wilbur almost a no brainer. In an email conversation with Ear Coffee, Puig talked about the time they spent working with Wilbur. "Nich [Wilbur] is an absolute wizard. They are so, so good at what they do, but they also do not let that stand in the way of their helping the band achieve what they want to achieve with the work they’ve brought forward," said Puig. He added, "To get to do it at The Unknown, where so many brilliant records have been made (and will continue to be made) really topped it off."
The Unknown and Wilbur's influence is easily felt all over I Can't Believe They Invented It!. Right away, the listener finds themselves greeted by the opening lines of "Balance" where Puig says, "The biggest reason for buying a boat built for two/ Is if you fall overboard, you won't drown" that are sung in a way that feels like a meandering anecdote. The lyrical rhythm speeds up and slows down to emphasize certain phrases which feel very reminiscent of a Mount Eerie track; however, Puig filters himself through a pop structure which provides a stable place to always come back to. This theme permeates this record especially when the band explores its darker, more post-punk influenced side. On "Warm" Puig scrunches down in his vocal range to create resonate bass tones that echo through your mind while guitars skitter and clang, and on "Homewrecker" the band provides a slow ballad-like waltz for Puig to croon over.
Now, using the word "dynamic" feels lazy to describe this record, but it fits perfectly. Where one song is dark, another is extremely fragile, and the arrangements and orchestrations on this record underscore the lyrics. Everything is done with tasteful simplicity that makes everything from a twinkly guitar to a vocal harmony stand out without taking over. Puig's pop sensibilities also give this album a familiarity to it so you can put it on in almost any state of mind and still find something that will hit you in a new way.
I Can't Believe They Invented It! is out now where ever you get your music. The link below with take you to Puig's Bandcamp where you can support him (and the band) directly.
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