With New Wave:The Sequel taking over alternative pop — hey, not that I mind — it’s always interesting to discover someone who doesn’t fall lockstep into the latest trend. Archer Prewitt is a singer-songwriter who seems to be both hearkening back and arcing forward at the same time.
On his latest CD, “Wilderness,” Prewitt manages to evoke Cat Stevens, Paul Simon and John Lennon in terms of sound, while at the same time abandoning the standard song structure in favor of something more surprising. When you start listening to a song like “Judy, Judy,” it’s almost impossible to predict where exactly the song will go — there are no standard bridges and choruses here. And that’s what’s so great. The structure of the songs echoes Prewitt’s meandering lyrics, which explore topics ranging from post-9/11 melancholy to the death of his father. Dave Max Crawford of Poi Dog Pondering helped out on the song arrangements — along with playing a multitude of instruments (including the mellotron). Bassist Mark Greenberg also played in Prewitt’s first band, The Coctails.
I’ve been roaming around with "Wilderness" on my iPod, playing it over and over. It's addictive. On the bus this morning, as I stared out the window into a blustery day, I realized I’d found the perfect early spring soundtrack. The songs wind their way around you, underlining a mood instead of forcing a new one.
Though the songs deal with serious topics, they’re never morose — more contemplative and questioning. Plus, Prewitt manages to avoid the smugness that a lot of smart singer-songwriters have (ahem, Ryan Adams). Needless to say, from start to finish, Prewitt definitely had me under his spell.
My favorite song on this album — and it’s quite difficult to choose just one — is “Think Again.” What could be interpreted as a simple song about longing and loss seems to be more about realizing our own complicity in the downfall of relationships; how the things that seemed so confusing in the moment seem so much clearer with time. “That last time we said so long,” Prewitt sings, “we kept it simple didn’t we? / I hate to think of you alone / Oh when you went away. / I think I better think again / Time never leaves me...unsure.”
Something of a Renaissance man, Prewitt also plays guitar for indie faves The Sea and the Cake (that band also features Sam Prekop, who has a tremendous solo album out right now. That’s a heck of a lot of talent for one band). Prewitt also contributed to the latest McSweeney’s comics collection and just released the third issue of his “Sof’ Boy” comic. He even drew the illustration on the cover of “Wilderness.” Kind of makes the rest of us look lazy, no?
Archer Prewitt isn’t flashy and probably won’t make the cover of Spin magazine as the next big thing, but he is talented. He's the kind of songwriter you can picture making better and better music as time goes on. And the kind of artist whose music will stay with you, even in a daydream.
For more information on Archer Prewitt, visit http://www.thrilljockey.com/bandpage.html?artistnum=44.