Akron/Family - Love Is Simple

The Skinny attempted to speak to Akron/Family's lead singer Seth Olinsky on the phone recently. After much frustration and a conversation with bassist Miles Seaton, it was advised that Seth's phone was "buried somewhere, everything's scattered everywhere." Having spent the previous fortnight listening to Love Is Simple, this came as no surprise. "Buried" and "scattered" are grand starting points in any descriptive on the album; but buried and scattered over and under itself so lovingly and deliberately, that this may prove to be one of the late entrants as a standout album of 2007. What is abundantly clear here is a complete lack of fear. Akron/Family aren't scared to transcend genres - pigeonhole if you dare - nor do they think twice about gushing sappily. They set out their stall from the refrain of the first track of the album, encouraging us to "go out and love, love, love…everyone." From the tribal drums of Ed Is a Portal to the flamenco guitar of Lake Song, influences may be mined from across the world, but this is Akron/Family's effigy to the classic model of a band. The psychedelic harmonies of The Beatles (Don't Be Afraid, You're Already Dead), bread and butter Zeppelin guitars (There's So Many Colors) and Neil Young folk rock (Phenomena) are all present and correct here, stitched together with marvellously off kilter interludes and intersections. Love Is Simple is, though, a truly original, brilliantly daft, wholly enjoyable piece of work. (Finbarr Bermingham)