Auguste Patino: Simply In Clover (DK Records) – Album Review
Reviewed by Harry Kaplan
Anyone who has read a few of my reviews knows that I gravitate toward the unconventional. That doesn’t mean I like weird for weird’s sake; there still has to be something that hooks me. And “Simply In Clover” plants that hook deep into my palate. There is no squirming out of it, no escaping it. The hook is set.
From the opening bars of the first track, The Price of Admission, you can clearly hear the Beatles’ influence here, and even some late 80s/early 90s Robyn Hitchcock. It is minimalist in nature with absolutely brilliant symphonic elements from cello by Skip Vonkuske and some fiddle parts – yes I said fiddle, and I meant it – by Ardon Lee. I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention that The Kinks are also prominently represented as well. You will know this is an original track from an original artist, but the influences will also feel familiar like old friends you haven’t seen in a long time. It is expertly produced, but not overproduced. The song is polished but still maintains that feeling of originality, with some elements of rawness left intact.
Auguste knows that hook is firmly planted and he starts reeling me in steadily and into the next track, What A Day. While the previous track was heavily accented with strings, this track shines like a beacon, in large part due to the incredible piano fills provided by Auguste himself. It isn’t specifically credited to him, but I do not see anyone else listed, so to the victor go the spoils. Now, I don’t know the technical musical theory term, but I will describe what I hear in layman’s terms. The piano fills seem to be an inversion of the underlying chords and add some real push and pull, creating a pristine musical tapestry while still preserving an element of weirdness that is most desirable. Even the electric guitar parts at the outro are imperative and make this track stand out.
Another thing I rarely do, maybe this is a first, is describe tracks in track order. There is an exception to every rule, and this one is necessary. The transition between songs is so perfect and planned out, the only way to properly give these tracks their props is to describe them in the order that Auguste laid out. The lyrics are thought provoking and quite astounding. The Table Of Permanent Defeat is another gold star track that is written as well as any Lennon/McCartney, Ray Davies, or Robyn Hitchcock number. “There is always plenty more to eat, at the table of permanent defeat.” That is a line for the ages. It’s creative, satirical, and funny all at the same time. And more importantly, Auguste was able to fit a rather wordy phrase perfectly into the musical context and framework of the song. This is professional-level work here.
Not all of the tracks are completely minimalistic. In fact, Out Of the Picture And Out Of the Way uses more instrumentation and more production overall than the other tracks on the album. Using the writing styles of Davies and Hitchcock and the production and composition style of Sgt. Pepper’s-era Beatles, this is a pop masterpiece. I do not use that term lightly, but it is absolutely warranted. The fact that this is the only track to use this much knob twisting is exactly what makes it work. It clearly shows the production, engineering, and mixing skills that are evident on this project. It also shows discipline and restraint. Clearly, they could have “schmaltzed” up every track on this collection, but restraint reigns supreme and was used only in specific strategic situations.
The conundrum with anything pleasant is that I always want it to feel like it did the first time. Like the first time I went to see a particular artist, fell in love, won a lot of money in Vegas, etc. I am constantly striving to get that feeling of the first time. It is something that is quite rare and definitely not a feeling that can be captured easily. It is also important to be open-minded enough to recognize when it does happen. Simply In Clover feels like my first time. It is creative, quirky, and poppy—in all the right ways—and gave me that special first-time feeling that I am trying to bottle up and remember every time I listen. And I will definitely listen a lot.
Listen and buy “Simply In Clover” here.