Phosphorescent, the brainchild of Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Matthew Houck, returns with his sixth studio album, three years after the breakthrough Here’s To Taking It Easy.
As the title alludes to, Muchacho was written over the course of only a week while Houck was living in Mexico, who then returned to his studio in New York to record the written material.
The album is book-ended by the dreamy ‘Sun, Arise! (An Invocation, An Introduction)’ and ‘Sun’s Arising (A Koan, An Exit)’, and the pair serve as atmospheric and serene intros and outros to the album, with the beautiful harmonies of Houck’s creation placed in the forefront.
The previously released first single ‘Song For Zula’ sees Phosphorescent at his best, with vulnerable, trembling vocals backed by restrained violins, deep synth, and echoing drums.
Beginning by quoting Johnny Cash, the song describes the destructive ability of love and relationships, and culminates with the emotional refrain of “Ah and all you folks, you come to see / You just stand there in the glass looking at me / But my heart is wild and my bones are steel / And I could kill you with my bare hands if I was free”.
‘Ride On / Right On’ provides the catchiest, most upbeat moment of the record, showing a playful side to Houck’s songwriting, complemented by confident vocals.
While ‘A Charm / A Blade’ builds to an explosive and rousing chorus backed by a brass section, both ‘Down To Go’ and ‘The Quotidian Beast’ present a sprawling sound but fail to really go anywhere, something that isn’t helped by their lengthy running time.
On much of the album, Houck’s powerful vocals are pushed to the back, overpowered by a slew of other sounds, and the best moments are found when it is allowed to shine alone, but unfortunately these are few and far between.
Muchacho is definitely different, and definitely experimental, and while it has some stand-out moments, for the most part it doesn’t live up to the immense potential that it displays.
