Maybe it’s not worth making too much of a fuss about it, but The Beatles never thought they’d get more out of being in a band than sleeping behind an old cinema and being afforded the luxury of haunting the Reeperbahn. They thought that the songs they wrote had been plucked out of the air and were surprised to learn of “copywriting.” And, if anything, the eventual riches and recognition only messed up the lives of at least three of them.
On second thought, maybe it’s worth mentioning that the early rock groups didn’t make young artists crave their money and fame. Nah, for the most part, they made young artists want to be creative and to share their dreams with the world. There aren’t many of those around nowadays. For the most part, musicians are busy watching self-branding courses online. The world could do with a few more Karsten Dylan’s right about now.
If the name doesn’t give it away, Dylan’s inspired by the innocent, Golden Age of rock n’ roll. His new musical project, The Moviemen, reaffirms his commitment to pop music as a serious art form. “Prologue” is a series of dreams and a map drawn just well enough to give the author confidence of pushing that canoe into the water and following the path down wherever it leads.
Just close your eyes and try to accompany the music with the appropriate dreams. On the opening track, “Magnesium,” The Moviemen try to conjure up a sonic image of the 1960s. This is the eccentric movie soundtrack made by a Rolling Stone or a Beatle, that you think you heard. Not until now, though.
“Time Machine,” the most pop-friendly track, feels like ELO’s Jeff Lynne being tasked with writing and producing music for some modern indie-rock band trying to take over the charts by means of making audiences dance themselves into a frenzy.
To its credit, in fact, The Moviemen project delivers a good deal of musical variety. “Young Hearts” is hopeful, bubbly radio pop. And, “Shine Bright” is a modern hippie prayer for placing beauty ahead of gold.
Where does it leave us? In the case of some of us, still searching for a piece of heaven and doing it through pop music. “Bye Bye (Last Lullaby)” closes out the EP with gorgeous, softly whispered melodies. Karsten Dylan is still seeking the world that the ’60s bands promised and is happy each day he is allowed to work toward it.
