Leaf Label
Paperwork is the followup to Volcano!’s critically acclaimed but woefully under-publicized debut Beautiful Seizure . As on that album the experimental Chicago trio deftly swings from one mood and texture to another while intelligently defying convention and genre. This time around though they seem to be having more fun.
On the mercurial "Africa Just Wants to Have Fun" it becomes clear that Volcano! has an adept sense of satire to match their technical prowess. On that track they combine hummable riffs reminiscent of a more avant-garde Vampire Weekend (or Paul Simon’s Graceland to take a step further back) with a harsh criticism of Band Aid’s "Do They Know It’s Christmas?" and similar ego-boosting acts of internationalism. "Tension Loop" and "Fairy Tale" demonstrate fantastic songwriting with epic crescendos and quick time signature changes. Vocalist Aaron With’s impassioned falsetto verges on histrionic but never quite loses its sincerity. Compared to their debut Paperwork ‘s songs are bright volatile playful and concise.
