Album Review: Old Cabin/Old Time Machine: Old Cabin/Old Time Machine Split EP
Cody Gretzinger
Gateway Writer
Feb 01, 2012
Old Time Machine / Old Cabin
Old Time Machine / Old Cabin Split EP
File Under: Music
The new split EP by Ryan McNally and Kyle Cashen of Old Time Machine and Jona Barr of Old Cabin explores the winter blues using nothing more than a handful of vintage equipment, thorough knowledge of folk and blues musical arrangements and their experiences in Yukon winters. The collaboration results in a surprising musical depth in the EP, given that the album is only 14 minutes long. Perhaps the length is fitting for the subject, since most would probably choose a 14-minute winter over a full seasonal.
Old Time Machine starts the album off with “Sun Burns Out,” an upbeat guitar and lyrical serenade. McNally strings together dynamic rhythms with his gentle rhymes and low voice, singing: “Afternoon / Bottle of wine / Looks like roses / About a quarter to nine.” Cashen contributes to the song with simple drum backbeats and subtle electric filler, creating dynamic soundscapes that sound like slowly passing winter days.
Old Cabin wraps up the EP with “New Flashing Lights,” a sombre tune about longing for better days. Background guitar wails and reverb-ridden background noise accompany Barr’s dry and gentle crooning: “Each day is a new day / Sometimes not so much fun.” The melancholy feeling reaches its pinnacle by the end of the album, through Barr’s eloquent layering of sad sounds and unquestionable songwriting capabilities.
Old Time Machine / Old Cabin Split EP is an interesting find, whether or not you understand the experience of a Canadian winter. Both parties complement each other with startling similarity in style and temperament, and after this short offering, we can only hope they might grace us with a full album next time.
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