Peter Salett
In the Ocean Of the Stars (Dusty Shoes)
By Kim Newman
Published: August 8th, 2008 | 9:10am
Singer-songwriter Peter Salett comes from the same school of acoustic indie rock as Denison Witmer and the late Elliott Smith; they’re sad and nostalgic boys with guitars and — like the latter whose Oscar nomination broke him wide — films have also helped to make Salett’s music at least recognizable to a larger audience. From Ed Norton’s Keeping the Faith to Judd Apatow’s more recent Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Salett has provided songs to a variety of soundtracks, as well as penned the scores for a few others. But what provides atmosphere to a scene is sometimes just that: evocative mood filler.
Such is the case with Salett’s fifth solo album, In the Ocean Of the Stars. Full of love songs that alternate between stripped folk (“Sunshine”), country rock ("Fly Sparrow Fly"), and symphonic pop ("Far, Far Away"), the album creates a melancholic yet consoling ambiance. The 13 tracks are pleasant, peaceful, and pretty, but for the most part meld into one another. Highlights include “Miss You (Thought You Should Know),” which sounds like a lost Buddy Holly love song, and the rocking “What a Beautiful Dancer She Was.” Then there’s the title track, which is nestled in the middle, a striking song with soaring melodies and cello, viola, and violin accents. Indeed, Salett enlists some strong session players — including Don Piper on lap steel and Bill Dobrow on drums — who add warmth to his earnest laments. Amy Miles’ harmonies on the simple country waltz “Between the Dark and the Light” are particularly welcome to enhance the comforting somberness.
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Peter Salett's official site
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Issue #25
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