Elessar Thiessen ‘A Rainy Week In Paradise’ Independent Music Review

The approach to music creation varies from musician to musician, for Canadian producer Elessar Thiessen, it might as well be A Rainy Week In Paradise. His debut album officially released June 10, 2015, but the question remains, does it excite and surprise or dampen the world?

The album begins appropriately enough. The sound of rain falling and a door closing initiate A Rainy Week In Paradise. It goes into the second track nicely, which works well because the introduction track is so short. Although track three slows down to a ballad’s pace, this gives the listener a chance to witness the astounding acrobatics of Thiessen’s voice.

“A woman please, pure and free.”

Thiessen was born and raised in Canada, he started playing guitar from a young age and is now a full-time producer as well as a musician. He wrote and programmed the entire album, although a few individuals help out with additional guest parts, Thiessen himself plays guitar, vocals, piano and organ. Luckily, Thiessen plays very well with others and knows powerful moments to implement other instruments. Up to this point Thiessen has released one EP and one live recording, A Rainy Week In Paradise is technically his debut album and dropped June 10, 2015.

Track five features the guest singer Alexa Dirks. The two take turns singing the main lyrics (which work well from both perspectives) while surrounded by blues guitar. The song is easy to get lost in for many people and is also one of the two songs from the album to get a music video, the other being “When the World Ends.”

The lyrical content of A Rainy Week In Paradise hits some standard expectations but also turns some heads. Track eleven “Sister” is surprisingly pleasant although a few of the tracks can be harder to stomach. Thiessen claims that he does not want to write another love song, he wants a girl to write one for him. Right when it seems like Thiessen puts himself into a repetitious cycle he plays around with the song format vocally, or brings out a guitar solo.

Typically the vibe given out by Thiessen’s guitar is one of comfort, so much so that the listener might even feel the pull to close their eyes and lull themselves into a soft nap, one could feasibly enjoy this album on a laid back vacation. Listening to Thiessen is like standing in a Bright Eyes downpour with a Michael Bublé umbrella.

A Rainy Week In Paradise comes to a close after eleven tracks of nonabrasive guitar and Elessar Thiessen’s always smooth vocals. The alternative rock album stays mostly in the acoustic guitar range, but makes use of genres not seen as often, such as blues. A few tracks have the potential to appeal heavily to mainstream music fans while the rest is for fans of Coldplay or other low-key bands that are easy to enjoy.

Underground Examinations is a series of Independent Music Reviews with the intention of giving new music a fair and appropriate opportunity to be enjoyed.

By Garrett Jutte
Sources:
Elessar Thiessen
Bandcamp
Soundcloud