Adam Busch: River of Bricks

Some time back, a friend of mine was compiling a list of his favorite albums from the first decade of the 21st Century. I was pleasantly surprised to spot Manishevitz' 2003 record, City Life, which has long been a favorite of mine as well, despite seemingly having falling into the abyss of lost indie rock classics. That band's leader, Adam Busch, has also served in other worthy bands, such as the Curious Digit and Sonoi, but I had lost track of any recent work of his. So color me pleasantly surprised when I learned of a new solo album on the horizon! And here it is, with an intriguing new sound to explore.

River of Bricks features some of Busch's former bandmates in Manishevitz, but, inspired by a break from music-making to spend time with his newborn son, Busch has reemerged with a more stripped-down approach. Whereas Manishevitz spun a variation of glam rock for the new millennium, this new album explores more folk music traditions, from British balladry to American Primitive guitar to traditional African styles. The overall sound is welcoming, warm and comfortable, with Busch's unpretentious vocals drawing the listener in and the gentle melodies keeping them around and encouraging further listening. It's a welcome return from an underrated talent.

-Eric J. Lawrence

Tracklist:

1. Mother

2. River of Bricks

3. Sister

4. Tiger

5. End of an Arrow

6. Bedouin Shaker

7. Birds to My Ears

8. Ruby

9. Saul Sleeps

10. Butterfly