Head Like A Kite

Random Portraits of the Home Movie

(Pattern 25)

Record Review by Michele Fair

Novelty acts seem to draw crowds much more frequently these days, so it seems that more bands than ever are looking for the latest shtick.  Head Like a Kite falls into this category a bit, but is also a small exception in the sense that the artist has combined varying forms of sounds, instruments, and film snippets to form an unusual album that resonates overtones of both electronic influence and crunchy, indie rock style guitar riffs.  The marriage of record scratching, bleeps and blips, and funky beats with guitar chords and vocals makes Random Portraits of the Home Movie an auditory roller coaster, combining old sound bites from 1970s Super 8 film reels into the mix for a cool and slightly humorous effect.

All of the tracks on Random Portraits of the Home Movie have individual qualities that make them unique.  That doesn’t always mean each track is stellar, but there are some real gems on Random Portraits of the Home Movie.  “Noisy at the Circus” is pure indie pop perfection, and the guest vocalist on the track [Aysa from Smoosh] sounds very much like The Sundays' Harriet Wheeler, making the song particularly endearing.  The fourth track on the album, “Tell Mommy You Want a Sip of Beer,” combines the off-key bass lines of Fugazi with the creepy keyboards of Portishead to make a brilliantly dark yet extremely catchy song. 

Random Portraits of the Home Movie is a novel idea.  The main brain behind the concept is Dave Einmo, and his creativity shines through on the album.  There are some important musicians appearing as guests on the album as well, coming from such acclaimed bands as Crooked Fingers and Preston School of Industry, to name a few.  While this debut falls a little bit flat, it offers a great insight into what Head Like a Kite is capable of, and it should be exciting to see what’s on the horizon.