Hoopla Review of ‘The Infinite Definitive’
“THE INFINITE DEFINITIVE” UNKNOWN COMPONENT
Keith Lynch - the sole member of the Iowa City-based band Unknown Component - contributes guitar, bass, piano and drums to his seventh album. What stands out, though, are his lyrics. Lynch’s introspective words often convey the vastness of the world around us, and bring into question the importance of our daily decisions. He spills these melancholy lines over a backdrop of melodic guitar riffs that allow his voice to roam freely without interruption.
Although occasionally morose, the overall feeling of “The Infinite Definitive” is not negative, but rather realistic. Through his lyrics Lynch works toward finding peace within the world’s often harsh realities. This perspective is epitomized on the album’s fourth track, “A Heavy Heart or An Empty Stomach.’
“The Infinite Definitive” is a patchwork of songs that manage to coalesce together into a single unit. Each song flows seamlessly into the next creating a peaceful listening experience closer to what you might expect from ambient music than from a rock album.
Even during the CD’s more up-tempo moments, such as the opening track “Moving Out Of Frame”, the instrumentals still possess an unobtrusive, subdued quality. This album is not likely to induce any head thrashing or fist pumping, but that’s not the goal. Lynch has something meaningful and insightful to say, and he wants you to hear it.
While this is the ideal album for the music enthusiast who always opens up a CD’s liner notes to find the lyrics, the instrumental aspects are neither inconsequential nor mediocre. They provide a complementary setting for Lynch to display his lyrical poetry.
The full worth of Unknown Component’s latest release is not immediately apparent, but put in some time and you’ll find that this one man has lots to offer.
- MICHAEL GALLAGHER