Animal Hospital - Good or Plenty, Streets + Avenues
by Maarten Schiethart
published: 25 / 4 / 2009
Label:
Mutable Sounds
Format: CD
intro
Cliche-riddled, but nevertheless promising folktronica on second album from Animal Hospital, the project of Boston-based musician Kevin Micka
Animal Hospital, the one-man effort from Kevin Micka, is touring the USA with the impeccable Lineland and has a second album out to coincide with it. The Boston based Animal Hospital deals in gentle operations. Words to describe its sound include folktronica and electro acoustics. Ways to describe Animal Hospital lead to a use of clichés alas. '11 18 07' was the first track, and the fourth, off 'Good or Plenty, Streets + Avenues', was the first track to hit the right chords with me. Next, there's a crispy drone track, which once more failed to draw my attention. The short and concise title track then again raises one's appetite and from here 'Good or Plenty, Streets + Avenues' continues in a grand manner. This cliché riddled folktronica gains from pulsating little rhythms as the melody lines become more eloquent. Kevin Micka's compositional talent is not as strong as you might expect from someone playing a supporting role to Lineland, but his extra quality becomes more plainly obvious as the album progresses. Unfortunately 'Good or Plenty, Streets + Avenues' comes to an end, just when I was about to get excited. Echoes from an urban atmosphere of harbour characteristics set the final tone. 'Good or Plenty, Streets + Avenues' holds a promise and with this album you are left half fulfilled.
Track Listing:-
1 We Can2 Novel Moments
3 March And June
4 11 18 07
5 What If They Are Friendly
6 Good Or Plenty
7 Define
8 Barnyard Creeps
9 Labor Day
most viewed articles
current edition
Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies - Sala Apolo, Barcelona, 29/11/2023 and La Paqui, Madrid, 30/11/2023Anthony Phillips - Interview
Difford and Tilbrook - Difford and Tilbrook
Rain Parade - Interview
Oldfield Youth Club - Interview
Autumn 1904 - Interview
Shaw's Trailer Park - Interview
Cafe No. 9, Sheffield and Grass Roots Venues - Comment
Chris Hludzik - Vinyl Stories
Pete Berwick - ‘Too Wild to Tame’: The story of the Boyzz:
most viewed reviews
current edition
Serious Sam Barrett - A Drop of the Morning DewMarika Hackman - Big Sigh
Rod Stewart and Jools Holland - Swing Fever
Loves - True Love: The Most of The Loves
Ian M Bailey - We Live in Strange Times
Paul McCartney and Wings - Band on the Run
Autumn 1904 - Tales of Innocence
Roberta Flack - Lost Takes
Banter - Heroes
Posey Hill - No Clear Place to Fall
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart