Stranger from Long Ago is an affecting album from Neacal, melding beautiful chamber-pop orchestration with impactful lyricism exploring tragedy, feelings of imprisonment, and a fulfilling drive for personal growth. “These songs, while being unraveled over the course of the last three years, became a refuge in my darkest months,” Neacal says. “Loss of loved ones, loss of home, loss of the life as I knew it — all of this pain transformed into these lyrics and melodies. And now it’s time for them to live their own life in this world.”
The opening track “The Bell” begins aptly with a “once upon a time,” vocal intrigue, set amidst frolicking woodwinds. Strings enter with a spine-chilling, dramatic effect. The thematic hold is apparent, depicting a reconnection with one’s suppressed self — using a prisoner metaphor in its depictions of escape via the means of personal agency. The invigorating themes of personal growth intertwine for a swelling orchestral pop flair for a stirring commencement to Stranger from Long Ago.
A more sweeping string-laden engrossment shows on “Morning Star,” invoking a cinematic fervency in its rhythmic ruminations and sporadic brass pushes. The dynamic range between the brassy intrigue and grandiose string soaring consumes, reminding of Owen Pallett’s versatile chamber-pop tendencies. The ensuing “Out of Control” presents a heartrending balladry in its pace, emphasizing strong lyrical form; they detail the collapse of emotional fortresses, once meant to shield against pain. “Fortresses won’t hold / It’s no one’s fault,” the chorus exudes, acknowledging life’s unpredictability with artfulness and a subsequent push to “make your peace, start over.”
“Another Castle” continues the eclectic chamber-pop captivation, moving tonally into a realm fit for a fantasy film in its jaunty, waltz-like orchestration. The lyrical imagery of being trapped echoes the opening “The Bell.” Another standout arrives next in “Twice-Told Tale,” featuring a guest appearance from experimental music icon Toby Driver. Solemn piano and haunting vocals intertwine, conveying a story of grief as recollections on “recurring dreams,” align with a chilly string addition. “Actions lost their meaning, devoid of any feeling,” the vocals further a sense of emotional loss, declaring “I’ve been trapped,” in a continuation of imprisonment allusions.
The album’s second half continues to impress in its heartfelt chamber-pop dynamics — from the cathedral organ brightness within “Unrest” to the plucky string-led “Wedding of Ghosts,” accompanied fittingly by ghostly vocal backings. The latter shows a particularly enveloping sequence at the three-minute mark, injecting woodwind flourishes amidst the dramatic strings. “Mind Palace” then arrives as a wholly satiating finale — gradually rising from prancing piano minimalism into a concluding orchestral caressing. Lyrical expressions of being unheard and unseen arrive alongside, further cementing Stranger from Long Ago as an emotively gripping success from Neacal.
