What can be said of Free Thyself From The Fetters Of This World by The Hidden Words is that it explores sacred themes without excluding non-proponents of the sacred themes from enjoying it (the same can be said of the music of Bodies Of Water or The Welcome Wagon). Lead singer and writer Alden Penner’s songs are inspired by his experience with the Baha’i faith, picking up on melodic and lyrical techniques first explored with last year’s Odes To The House EP.
While Penner’s previous full band work with The Unicorns and Clues focused on art-rock (in the style of Menomena, Deerhunter, or Cloud Cult) Hidden Words comes from a more earthy folkiness. Not to say that art-rock isn’t incredible and moving, it is just difficult to sing when you’re sitting in a living room full of friends with guitars and hand-shakers. In such settings folk music seems quite fitting.
The title track stylistically alludes to the A.A. Bondy’s Vice Rag, while the album’s French-spoken tracks seem to draw from Devendra Banhart’s Cripple Crow. The intentionally overstretched falsetto on O Fleeting Shadow reminds me a bit of Jordan Klassen’s In Bodrum, Near The Castle (which in itself is a lyrically rich track about spiritual awakening).
Simply said the album is equal parts acoustic folk and celebrating sacred phrases and concepts. It’s not a heavy handed demand to convert to a belief as much as it is a love letter, drawing the listener to partake in the conversation.
Have a listen at thehiddenwords.bandcamp.com
