Pennsylvanian native Koji has spent the past few years building a dedicated fan base on the back of EPs like ‘Some Small Way’ and his split with Into It/Over it. ‘Crooked In My Mind’ is his debut album. Opening with the simple acoustic strumming of ‘Chasing A Ghost’, Koji blends easy melody with dark and complex lyricism. It is a running theme throughout the 9 tracks on display.
‘Crooked In My Mind’ is a rather minimal affair, taking it right back to the stripped back basics. Most of its songs are structured around the acoustic guitar, albeit mixed with a subtle rhythm section. This approach lets the songs breath, from the heavy groove of ‘The Near and The Far’ to the delicious ‘Spinning Silent’. The album, although short in length, is splendidly full of tone and mood, best displayed in tge atmospheric lead guitar and haunting piano of ‘Distance/Divide’, which has an ever so slight hint of Zeppelin.
Having been embraced by the US punk touring circuit, elements of this connection can be heard on the record. The incessant strumming of ‘Fragile Times’ carries a tale of alienation and isolation, and has somewhat the same feel as a Front Bottoms song, or that of past collaborator Into It/Over It, and the simple catchiness of ‘Creeping’ gets under your skin within the first 20 seconds. The album hardly puts a foot wrong – Koji’s vocals have developed well over the past few years, and his songs are unpretentious and accessible. His defiant spirit is demonstrated well on the lyrics of ‘Creeping’ as well, “I am more lost than found, I’m everything and I won’t apologise”, and the whole affair is a very enjoyable experience.
Closing with the epic ‘What You Leave Behind’, a 5 minute long radio un friendly track, but it is a clear highlight of the album. Emotive and melodic, it retains its energy thoughout. Even with at times its heavy subject matter, ‘Crooked In My Mind’ is still set to become a soundtrack for the summer, and it’s very well recommended to any music fan.
CLARA CULLEN