After release after spotty release, after countless hit-and-miss experiments and baffling instrumental usage, Isla Vista-area (anti-)folkie Existential Hero (Steven Ray Morris) has finally gotten it completely right.
Meant as an epilogue to the hilariously self-indulgent and charming "New Zealand Trilogy", the Hangover EP trims away most of the refuse from Morris' technique. What is presented here is a collection of tight, memorable, and stripped-down ukulele-pop songs. Culling the best sounds from his trilogy of albums and armed with a ukulele and Garageband, Morris has quietly created a someday-will-be-classic DIY document.
To go track-by-track into this album wouldn't really do it any justice. The release in whole flows gracefully while not dipping into any listener-challenging sonic experiments; a shrewd move by the standards of some of his more obscure-sounding releases. His use of autotune has been trimmed down to sparing use, creating a subtle nuance to songs such as the title track. Tasteful use of guest vocalists (Linguistic Banter and Wonder For All, among others) keeps things fresh and exciting to listen to.
Best song: "I Want To Be In A Relationship So I Can Be Anti-Social". While it's not as good as the greatest Existential Hero song (the staggeringly perfect "I Don't Care About Love"), it comes incredibly close. Like this song, the album is pure pop bliss. The New Zealand Hangover EP makes up for any and all mediocre albums Existential Hero has released in recent memory (I'm looking at you, "Be Yourself/Be Others"!), and the best part is that this isn't the last we'll hear from him, by a long shot.
Download it for free! www.cllct.com/release/thenewzealandhangoverep
www.myspace.com/existentialhero
