Strange Arrangement: Polygraph

Words By Greg Molitor (ReMIND Photography)

Strange Arrangement understands the power of music. Released on January 18, 2011, the quartet’s sophomore release, Polygraph, offers a wide range of warm, heartfelt tunes that lift and comfort the soul throughout. From the first listen onward, the album is accessible and rich in spirit; there is much to gain here even from the most casual listener. Hopeful lyrical content such as “Don’t let it get you down / There’s still enough to go around”, and “There’s no use in finding truth if you don’t believe”, instigate positivity, and although Strange Arrangement’s joyous messages are clear, the words are open-ended, providing an opportunity for the listener to sit back, dive deeply, and personalize the content.

The album playfully paints an bright, elaborate picture that stretches musical genres across any canvas one might hold. A large spectrum is covered; funk, rock and roll, rockabilly, and jazz are all performed with a balance of progressive rhythms and spacious grooves. The result is equally swingin’ and straightforward led by an abundance of angular guitar licks and keyboard swells that keep the listener on its toes along the journey. The title track, ‘Polygraph’, ‘Bedbugs’, and ‘Siete’ are sure to explode in the live setting while others such as ‘Highway’ are infectiously creative. In an age of redundant recordings and derivative thoughts, Polygraph soars with a vibrant freshness loaded with unconventional approaches to roots music.

Soulful music is about sharing, and when listening to Polygraph, connections can’t help but be made through the stories nostalgic and music fulfilling. It’s obvious that the group wants nothing more than to have the listener join them on the adventure called life, and with Polygraph, Strange Arrangement has created a welcoming campfire that beckons the unfamiliar to approach and inquire. If the album is an indicator for upcoming works, the band should begin to prepare room for future family that will inevitably discover its illuminating art.

www.strangement.com