Lithium Magazine

Photofinish Records / Atlantic Records

by Elena Maystruk

http://www.myspace.com/anthonygreen

Anthony Green definitely turned a page in his music career when he created his second full-length album, Beautiful Things.

The work is a step up from Green's first album Avalon, showcasing a more complex collection of lyrics and music. Common elements like the energetic vocals and a faint electronic influence unify the work as a whole, and every song offers soulful observations about creativity, poetry and sensuality. Green forges ironclad links between poetry and a variety of fresh, sexy musical rhythms.

I think one of the most interesting things artists can do is change up the musical instruments they use. Green's dexterity with a ukulele was unexpected in collaboration with the album’s rock n’ roll and new-age undertones. If nothing else, Beautiful Things is an exploration of Green’s musical impulses.

Listening to the album, pay attention to different components in the music and the way each instrument is manipulated to create emotion. The slow rhythmic guitar in “Big Mistake” for example, is enigmatic and slow, worthy of a dimly lit, up-town music lounge.
Beautiful Things is not easy to place. From the high-strung rock-songs to sinewy, mellow ballads, this album demands patience and attention. Whatever Anthony Green's creative process was in producing these songs, there is an adjacent process in listening to the finished product.

These songs are multifaceted. Green invites various guest singers to collaborate with him. The presence of artists like Ida Maria, Chino Moreno of Deftones and others, only adds to the album’s many faces. “If I Don't Sing” and “Lullaby” are not only eleven tracks apart, they are oceans away from each other, creating completely different atmospheres for the listener. “Do It Right” sung a’capella, sounds a little stale and unfinished to me, but others might like the relaxed style of the song.

That being said, not everyone will love Beautiful Things from beginning to end. Every song is its own experience, every track its own planet. Yet each revolves around the same creative elements that made this album possible. Anthony Green presents a mature piece of work in which everyone can find something compelling.