“Digging Holes”
from the EP Mexico
2010
iTunes
Upon listening to Mexico — the latest EP from Madison folk-popsters Icarus Himself — it’s apparent that mastermind Nick Whetro has really learned to let his songs breathe. The old cliché of “no, no, it’s the notes he’s not playing” is a tired one, but it really holds its ground here. What’s even weirder is that Whetro has basically added a full band to what was once a solo endeavor, and the results still sound way more minimal. When pushed up against 2009’s more singer-songwriter oriented Coffins, Whetro’s haunting vocal delivery sounds a bit more soulful and less forced this time around as he sparsely colors in the tiny arrangements of watery guitar, lo-fi keyboards, and low-key rhythms of tunes like “Digging Holes” and “Half Ton Load.” In fact, on some tunes, Whetro only sings on every other measure, allowing his lyrics to be a vehicle for the progression rather than the other way around.
Jentri Colello, another Madison singer-songwriter, joins forces with Whetro over the Casio-disco pulse of “Half Ton Load,” the EP’s most infectious cut. Collelo’s ethereal voice and feathery choruses give his tortured howling a soft place to land. Also, multi-instrumentalist Karl Christenson (who played with Whetro in the late National Beekeepers Society) brings his own subtle wizardry to the table, foregoing bass and opting to rumble out some baritone guitar instead. The volcanic closer “Seen It Coming (Mexico)” is a quiet killer, erupting from its delicate finger-picked chorus into an explosion of crashing drums and rippling guitar as Whetro cries out, “You’re my Mexico!” Sure, Mexico tumbles into darker dives than its predecessor, but it may be Whetro’s penchant for the morose and his leaning toward incorporating lo-fi electronics that help split him off of his over-orchestrated neo-folk peers.