Columbus, Ohio's
Saintseneca began as a unit that distilled and expanded upon the inspiration of the folk sounds from the Appalachian range: the place songwriter, frontman, and lone original member Zac Little hails from. However, through extensive D.I.Y. touring, two previous EPs, and a full-length (2013's acclaimed
Last), they've gelled into a band whose sound equals all the places they've been, rather than merely the culmination of where Little is from.
Dark Arc,
Saintseneca's debut for Anti, was produced by
Mike Mogis. Despite its primary use of layered harmonies and acoustic instruments -- guitars, mandolins, banjos, dulcimer, baglama, drums, saw, and other hand percussion -- they also employ organs, synthesizers, pedal steel, electric guitars, samples, etc. whenever necessary. They are no longer the folk band whose charm lies in homemade sensibilities and execution, but a rock group whose approach embraces neo-psychedelia, folk, and indie pop. There are post-punk influences here, too: check the unabashed use of
the Cure on "Happy Alone." Little's songs are catchy musically. Some of the finer moments here include "Daendors," with its bright balalaikas, dulcimer, acoustic guitar, low-end drums, handclaps, and soaring harmonies (courtesy of bandmates Maryn Jones,
Steve Ciolek, and Glenn Davis). It is, despite a melancholy lyric, as bright and intoxicating as sunshine after a long winter. "Takmit," with its barn-dancing foot stomps, handclaps, 12-string guitar, and bulbul, fuels an intimate love song. The tender, strange, and compelling title cut features group instrumentation tastefully colored by warm reverb and elegantly layered vocal harmonies in a lilting, yet off-kilter cadence that moves to and fro until it all erupts in a psychedelic country sprint. This is the band's first fully realized outing and points toward new directions. ~ Thom Jurek