Philip Selway
Familial

THE REVIEW

I listen and then I buy. I think I can define myself, when it comes to music, as a bit of a collector. I like to keep in my collection only the albums that truly leave a mark on me. This album, which I discovered almost by chance, undoubtedly succeeded in doing so. After all, Philip Selway is not exactly what one would call a complete unknown: we are talking about the drummer/percussionist of Radiohead, a band able to effortlessly, smoothly, and ingeniously transcend the thin barriers between musical genres.

However, I guiltily admit that I never expected he would be able to put together an album of such caliber. The album, as noted, is a collection of tracks characterized by suspended atmospheres, built primarily on Philip's subtle and enchanting voice and a guitar with a distant seventies aftertaste. Essentially, we are talking about acoustic songs, at times enriched by never intrusive electronic inserts, where everything blends into a simple yet perfect harmonic amalgam. From the first notes of "By Some Miracle," the opening song, we understand that we are about to listen to something special. We barely have time to marvel at the unexpected beauty of the first song when "Beyond reason" kicks in, the album's flagship, so dark and deep it gets under your skin immediately, also thanks to the extraordinary guitar work. By the time we reach the beautiful "The Ties that Bind Us," reminiscent of early acoustic Pink Floyd sounds, and the subsequent "Patron Saint," so adorably melancholic, we have realized we are in the presence of one of the best albums of recent years.

With the listening of the closing “The Witching Hour,” we feel fulfilled and satisfied to have experienced an extraordinary musical journey.