Pixel Revolt

Vanderslice's fifth solo album contains 14 tracks built on short stories efficient and evocative enough to be reminiscent of top-tier fiction writers, and sonically gorgeous enough that the casual fan can go several listens without noticing the lyrics. In addition to several delicate, dead-on autobiographical songs, "Pixel Revolt" is full of John's trademark fictional narrators: a soldier in "Plymouth Rock" who develops second thoughts about the liberation as he lies bleeding; the anti-government militant with shaken conviction and waning commitment in "Exodus Camage"; a sinister stalker or harmless admirer of a pop singer in "Peacocks In The Video Rain"; a western journalist on a conflicted visit to an Iraqi prostitute in "Trance Manual"; the possibly paranoid-schizophrenic, possibly razor-sharp cop of "Continuation", and others.