UnknownComponent

UNKNOWN COMPONENT IS WORTH KNOWING

Written By Philip Clements

Thursday Sept. 18th 2008

As a writer, there is nothing worse than covering a topic and realizing that everything you think has already been said. When I put Unknown Component’s album “In Direct Communication” in the stereo and listened to the first song, the sounds automatically drew up comparisons to Radiohead, Elliot Smith and Oasis. However, upon reading a list of previously published reviews, those were the three comparisons that popped up more than the band’s own name.

     So, as a writer who claims to be unique, it is my duty to not only find other bands to compare Unknown Component to but dig deeper into their sound and find what makes them stand out. Good thing I don’t know too many Elliot Smith tunes.

     For most of you reading this, the initial question isn’t ‘what do they sound like’ but rather ‘who the hell is Unknown Component?’ Just as Nine Inch Nails is really Trent Reznor and Bright Eyes is really Conor Oberst, Unknown Component is really Keith Lynch, a singer/songwriter hailing from Iowa but still somehow managing to get his music to Statesboro, Georgia.

     As a one-man band, Lynch does an outstanding job fulfilling every role that makes up this album. The lyrics are poignant and brooding but never boring if you listen closely. No single instrument overshadows another and they all create a steady rolling rhythm under the melodic vocals.

     Lynch’s voice sounds like it was forged in a coffeehouse trying to maintain a calm atmosphere while still evoking emotion. There’s a vulnerability to his voice, as if he were to sing any louder he might shatter into a million pieces. It creates a very personable character for the music, not one of a rock star belting out notes at the top of his lungs but rather a humble poet with a guitar strumming away for a few friends over a bottle of wine.

     There’s a crisp quality to the songwriting. Acoustically driven but supported by a framework of electric rock sounds, each song maintains a steady structure throughout. Even though there’s a melancholy shadow overhead, Lynch still manages to infuse brightness with uplifting melodies and reassuring harmonies.

     The only downside to be found on “In Direct Communication” is the sound quality, which is quaint but somewhat monotonous, coming at you like one block of music rather than panned and dispersed. It sometimes brings to mind a bootleg tape of a live show and might be the only thing in the way of mainstream success.

     All in all, this is an album that I would strongly consider buying (or at least burning) if I heard it in a friend’s car in late evening on the way back from the library. Very relaxed but still stimulating and intelligent.

     If you don’t feel like buying the album but still want to hear what kind of sounds make up Unknown Component, check out the website www.unknowncomponent.com