Boduf Songs

Boduf Songs | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 4, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Kranky
• ASIN: B000ATJYOO
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #261,050 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Deceptively low key this skirts between singer-songwriter psychedelic home recorder & folk modes bringing an obtuse angular minimalism to these forms. MAT SWEET has been involved with home recording & distributing CDRs with his Bluebaby Recordings im

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dark and unique UK folk, November 25, 2005

By 

somethingexcellent (Lincoln, NE United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Boduf Songs (Audio CD)

Boduf Songs is the project of Southampton, UK dweller Mat Sweet (who will never be confused with the much more poppy artist who shares nearly the same name). He recorded a batch of tracks at home with an acoustic guitar, some cymbals, a violin bow, a toy piano, and a computer. The result is something that's grounded in dark folk music, but at times darts away with a deft hand, adding a touch of surreal to the finger-picked tracks.

At just under a half-hour in length, Boduf Songs is a short release, but works well because it never allows itself to become too redundant in that time. "Puke A Pitch Black Rainbow To The Sun" opens the release with backwards looped guitars and some gentle acoustic melodies over the top while Sweet adds his soft baritone to the mix. Sustained bowed washes sweep into the mix every once in awhile, but always do so in a subtle way, adding just a touch of warmth to the track that is otherwise haunting. "Claimant Reclaimed" moves at a slightly faster pace with a repeated acoustic melody phrase and more soft vocals while sharp hits of filtered cymbals ring out and distort to add punctuation.

Lyrically, the album is almost as oppressive as an album like I See A Darkness by Bonnie 'Prince' Billy. Even on songs that feel a bit lighter in their instrumentation (like "This One Is Cursed" and "Grains") are weighed down with a look over the shoulder at a grim spectre. On one track (the instrumental "Ape Thanks Lamb"), the clouds finally part for almost two minutes, and it feels like a small revelation, even if it doesn't last. Given the limited resources that Sweet had in making the release and everything that he got out of them, I can't wait until he has even more options at his disposal (which he currently does, as he's already working on a more ambitious follow-up).

(from almost cool music reviews)

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars the wonderful sounds of silence, October 10, 2005

By 

Russell E. Scott "futurestar" (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Boduf Songs (Audio CD)

I plead a bit of naivety here since folk is not a category where I spend my CD dollars. I've heard some mention comparisons to Iron & Wine but I never connected with any of his stuff on initial trial runs so I can't support those comments. The main consideration and qualification of legitimacy with me was the fact that this album was being issued by kranky who received it as a demo. They were so impressed with the quality, depth, and originality that they sent it out untouched. Yes I can verify that Englishman Matt Sweet can write a folk song with enough depth and feeling to thrust himself into 'hey man, have you heard' underground network. In addition to the guitar, Matt's use of select sounds thrown in at the right moment gives this the added composer credit. He wrote, played, and recored the whole affair out of his home. Boduf Songs comes off ambient and edgy, filing this music under unusual as a success. With the winter season just around the corner, I can imagine this album as the 30 minute soundtrack for those gray, melancholy moments. It can help ward off the doom and gloom or it's opposite, help usher it in. Whatever, the promise of a real studio album should keep interest keen, introspective, and personal. Kudos to kranky for discovery and restraint.