Kentin Jivek - Third Eye

If I was sitting around a campfire and this guy was singing and playing his guitar, I'd shake his hand and buy him a beer. I really would. It's not bad. But when you stand up and say "Look at me play the guitar and sing", you join a legion of musicians who struggle to rise above the broken boulevard of a hundred thousand who have gone before.

What we have here is a dark folk album from Kentin Jivek, a guitarist from Bordeaux, France. The vocals are predominantly spoken or whispered, occasionally being sung. The language is mostly French, occasionally swapping over to English. The acoustic guitar dominates the soundstage with relatively simple chords, and the background of the recording is inhabited with everything from cinematic effects to accordions to orchestral percussion. This sounds somewhat exciting, but unfortunately "exciting" is not really a word that could describe this album.

I think that the heart of the problem lies with my first impression that the record is not actually very "dark". It seems to be aiming for a ritualistic atmosphere, but falling short. As such, the attempt to convey an atmosphere of tension and melancholy are somewhat lost. The theme of the album attempts to convey the idea of the "Inner Solar Revelation" in regards to the supposed end of the world in December 2012. Unfortunately I have no idea how well this is explored lyrically, as I don't speak French.

Don't get me wrong, this music isn't bad, but the most glaring fault is that it could be so much more. I could name so many artists who have done this, and done it better. With access to modern recording technology there is an expectation that this sort of recording will at least attempt to reveal a sense of dark majesty and brooding splendour. There is neither present here. If you are searching for a revelation, look elsewhere. Oct 07 2012