Tight Knit

VetiverTight KnitSunday, for varying reasons, is the day that matters most to the majority of Americans. To many, it’s a day that allows a bit of guiltless languor. Lay on the couch; watch TV (or read a book or listen to a record); and nod off. Drink a few beers, maybe eat some pizza or tear through a bag of Doritos. This is the true reason why so many folks watch NFL football. But for others (and by others, we’re talking about the folks who use the Sabbath to recover from beer-soaked nights spent watching bands), Sunday is a good day to kick back, listen to music and - like the jock-minded - nod off. Vetiver’s latest record, Tight Knit, is made for this sort of afternoon.

Ninety percent slow strums, meaty plucks, brushed drums and gentle vocals, Tight Knit is proof that Vetiver chieftain Andy Cabic prefers to take it easy these days - at trait that suites his writing and vocals well. His first release for the mighty Sub Pop imprint, this 10-song folk-flavored record marks the full-length follow-up to the band’s unlikely 2008 breakthrough record, Thing of the Past. A covers-only record that saw the band reinterpreting 12 largely unknown tunes at the very moment critics were expecting an originals-only breakthrough, Thing of the Past was met initially with confusion. It broke through regardless, announcing Cabic (the band’s only truly constant member) as one of the indie-folk scene’s most capable voices and arrangers. Tight Knit now, just months later, capitalizes on the hype, bringing to mind the lighter sounds of The Grateful Dead, The Band, Townes Van Zandt and even Phish.

So, you now ask, is Tight Knit a hippie record? Well, Cabic is a San Francisco songwriter who hands with Devendra Banhart and covers Michael Hurley tunes. But no, he never comes off like any sort of funny dancing stereotype. Will this record be embraced by hippie-minded ears? Oh absolutely. This is very kind, earthy, welcoming and warm stuff - even if it’s not made to jam. Cabic’s lazy Sunday sound is, however, subtle enough that most will find very little meat to grab on to. There are hooks, surely, and the writing - which reminds equally of Cat Stevens and James Tayor - is approachable. But still, Tight Knit lacks the everyman appeal of a Dead or Band record. For that, think of this mostly-hushed indie folk collection as you do your Sunday blanket - a warm comfort to enjoy by yourself, for yourself - but only if you’re of the indie mindset.   6.5/10

Written by G. William Locke