FIREFLIES - Goodnight Stars, Goodnight Moon

Driven by a dreamy inspiration, American artist Lisle Mitnik puts together a record that's ultimately harmless, but extremely pleasant. After years spent wandering the tundras of foggiest England, the young man moved to California to study composition and start making his dream come true: writing songs capable of expressing all his passion for primordial indie-pop. Able to infuse shy lo-fi poetry with the hazy folk-pop of the early '90s (the obvious reference point being the glorious Mazzy Star), he strings together ten songs, one after another, that are hard to walk away from. They have everything needed to win you over: a timidly recorded, delightfully threadbare voice, lofty guitars (Sarah Records should be thanked for the implicit tribute), instruments played with an almost hushed delicacy.

Branding this work as a tribute of commendable generosity would be unfair, to say the least, especially given the effort the artist puts into composing something personal and heartfelt, without falling into cheap imitation. A constant boreal atmosphere surrounds every single track, calling to mind snowy landscapes and tracing emotional trajectories of real impact. The use of xylophones and other acoustic trinkets embellishes an already rich backdrop, lending it a sparkling variety, with standout peaks (the opening "I Was A Brontosaurus", the Christmas-themed "X-mas Song") and a few poignant fragments (the minimal "We Heard The Fireworks").

So "Goodnight Stars, Goodnight Moon" cradles a handful of gentle, well-crafted songs, whose only flaw lies in a lack of originality. A gap amply filled by the boundless care that oozes from every note, an attention to detail that, as in this case, can make up for shortcomings that are only seemingly decisive.

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24/11/2008