Usonian Dream Sequence

Titled after Frank Lloyd Wright's architectural design scheme, Geoff Farina shines on the 13-song Usonian Dream Sequence. Farina's simple guitar/voice approach works from the beginning of the first track, "As You Are Right." The country/folk feel of the album is a far cry from his band work in Karate and the Secret Stars, displaying a simplicity and grace rarely found in much of the indie rock world. His storyteller approach to songwriting finds him in the role of narrator, gently expressing simple and complex themes while performing simple guitar chords. The album is remarkably intimate and warm. Standouts include the steady and low-key title track, the reflective and melancholy "Eventually," and the barebones richness of "For Now." The disc ends with the personal and direct "Window Seats." The disc hides a wealth of intense themes behind mellow and simple instrumentation. Southern Records released the disc in early 1998.