Simple Songs

by Jim O'Rourke

Simple Songs cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: 19 May 2015
  • Label: Drag City
  • Country: United States
  • Length: 37:33
  • Community rating: 3.72/5 from 9 ratings

Artists on this release: Eiko Ishibashi, Kamei Nahoko, Tatsuhisa Yamamoto, Sudo Toshiaki, Atsuko Hatano, Akiko Yoshino, Jun Moriyama, Daisuke Takaoka, Ren Takada

Album Notes & Community Reviews

'Simple Songs' marked a return to the singer-songwriter format, blending meticulously layered arrangements with a 1970s art-rock sensibility. The deceptively titled compositions feature lush orchestrations of strings, piano, and intricate guitar work, creating a warm, intricate production that is frequently contrasted with O'Rourke's wry, misanthropic lyrics. These songs explore themes of aging and emotional distance with a signature dark humor, serving as a complex and highly acclaimed entry in his discography.

Genres

Descriptors: orchestral, chamber, sophisticated, literate, strings, witty, melodic

Tracklist

  1. Friends With Benefits (05:24)
  2. That Weekend (03:14)
  3. Half Life Crisis (04:41)
  4. Hotel Blue (03:20)
  5. These Hands (03:13)
  6. Last Year (05:47)
  7. End Of The Road (05:33)
  8. All Your Love (06:21)

Credits

More from Jim O'Rourke: full discography