One eskimO
All Balloons
2009
Little Polar Records
In 2004 a young singer/songwriter named Kristian Leontiou signed a deal with Polydor Records and released a widely acclaimed debut in the UK. That CD, Some Day Soon, saw modest commercial success thanks to the hit single "Story Of My Life", and Leontiou was marketed as a male counterpart to popular songstress Dido.
Unhappy with the direction the label was taking him, Leontiou rebelled against becoming another pop star and a product of the record industry. He wanted his music to be something more; something he would be proud of that represented his own desires, not those of a label trying to market him to a young demographic.
Together with drummer Adam Falkner, guitarist Pete Rinaldi, and bass/brass player Jamie Sefton, Leontiou pursued an altogether different sound in the form of the indie pop-rock quartet known as One eskimO. Ironically, the band would eventually team up with producer Rollo Armstrong, the older brother of Leontiou's closest comparison, Dido, and the mind behind the international success of Faithless, and the results are both astounding and unique.
Thanks to a brilliant animated video for the album's earliest single and numerous shows around England, One eskimO have gained some popularity, but alas their debut CD, All Balloons, continues to see delay after delay. After missing an early 2008 release date, the album slipped to Spring 2009, and again to the fall where it is now slated for a September release while the band rerecords portions in Los Angeles for hopefully the last time.
The crime is that All Balloons, in its current incarnation as a 10 track promo CD, is an excellent record to begin with. In his desire to maintain his artistic integrity, Leontiou's perfectionist attitude could end up ruining a sweet, soft, and simply charming piece of acoustic pop-rock.
All Balloons certainly shows the influences of Rollo's production, oftentimes sounding like his own Dusted sideproject. This is most evident on the album's opener and lead-off single, "Hometime". The vocals, layers of ambient sounds, and guitars create a dreamy atmosphere and the drums plop in a relaxing pattern like droplets of water in a pond.
Leontiou spends most of his time singing in his soft falsetto, only dipping into his lower register on blessedly rare occasions. Though he has an incredibly strong voice, his quiet higher pitched tones suit the music far better, creating a perfectly soothing listening experience. Like a nice cup of tea, All Balloons is the perfect companion to a laid back evening.
Numerous tracks, including "Hometime", the buttery "Slip", and "Balloons" feature subtle use of muted trumpet or saxophone. "Balloons" is one of the album's more uptempo tracks, revolving around a funky guitar lick and punctuated by handclaps. The album's other slightly speedier tune is also its weakest. "Kandi" isn't a bad song, but it is that rare instance of Leontiou singing in his lower and it just sounds out of place during the chorus when he belts out "He called you ba-by, ba-by, baby."
"Simpleday" is a hastily sung tale of enjoying a quiet life at home, away from the distractions and frustrations of the public. It seems a commentary on Leontiou's own desire to stay as far out of the spotlight his former record label shone on him as possible, as well as a statement on the beauty of simplicity and comfortable surroundings. "Chosen One" layers gorgeous piano and a quiet organ hum under plucked guitar strings, providing words of encouragement in the face of hard times. Unlike "Kandi", Leontiou's lower register is using sparingly and to great effect here, giving the words more power.
Despite being tucked away near the end of the CD, the clear standout of the record is the dreary "UFO", an atmospheric ambient piece with waves of melody crashing against one another and echoing vocals. Again Rollo's electronic influence is evident, and even though it's actually a rather drastic departure from the guitar-driven songs that populate the album, it still fits perfectly and leaves you wondering why there aren't more tracks like it.
All Balloons closes on a high note, following up the spacey sadness of "UFO" with the uplifting and appropriately titled "Amazing". Starting with a simple repeating guitar pattern, drums, keyboards, and other elements are gradually added, bursting into a supernova of happiness as Leontiou sings about the wonders of life and love.
The question to pose now is how different will the final product be, and will it be worth the additional wait? Left untouched, All Balloons is already destined for some Best of 2009 lists, but it remains to be seen whether the additional studio time will be beneficial or ruin the less-is-more charm of the album with overproduced overdubs and unnecessary additions. Interested parties should seek out the promo by any means necessary, because one thing is certain - All Balloons will be different when it's finally released. Whether that's a good or a bad thing is the question.
Comments