The music from Doc Backer excites with its unpredictability and idiosyncrasies, touting various personalities across the artist’s steadily growing discography.
Via 2017 album Mr. Zero, “Fleshy Forms” is described by the artist as “a celebration of the current form.” The halted vocal suaveness and twangy guitars combine with brassy hints for an infectious, driving rock sound fondly reminiscent of Talking Heads. The whistling-laden “let’s see what this flesh can do,” hook drives into a brass-laden enthusiasm that lingers memorably. The track is a fantastic showcase of the artist’s melodic songwriting and eclectic approach.
A highlight that remains in a suave rock composure, though with a grimier bass-fronted pulse, “Hey Doll; Dreamwell” comes via 2016 album Between the Desert and Her Thighs. The rawer, King Krule-esque fervency of “Body Count Freestyle” also enthuses with its expressive vocals and swanky, lonesome guitar tones. That track comes via this year’s album Serrated, which also touts the track “Benzos,” intriguing with its warbly lo-fi folk and ghostly vocal pitching.
Clearly adept at both lo-fi swankiness and expansive rock-forward hooks, Doc Backer compels with a multitude of audible flavors throughout his discography. His most recent album, Care Has Left the Room, can be streamed below, and shines with efforts like “Bambi,” which emits a tender stream-of-conscious intimacy alongside hypnotic guitar work.
—
“Fleshy Forms,” “Bambi,” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of October 2022’ Spotify playlist.
