It is fair to say that with “Disarray,” Billy Traxler gives us a slice of upbeat music made at the intersection of pop, indie, and rock. It is also fair to say that in that overcrowded and often unadventurous trisection of the musical landscape, this song stands out like a beacon of sonic excellence in the deep, dark night of the also-rans. For that is what it is. “Disarray,” ironically given its title, is the sound of someone not only not putting a foot wrong but also throwing in plenty of unexpected and clever moves.
It’s a likable enough song to begin with—pacy, buoyant, infectious—but by the time he has had some fun with the middle eight, blending layers of gnashing guitars with the sound of a frantic mandolin (bouzouki?) and winds the song up via the sound of a cassette tape player running out of batteries (a reference for the older folks there), you realise that he has a great creative imagination and a deft songwriting touch.
Billy has been in the game for a while now, serving time in bands and running studios, but this track is a taster of his debut solo album, Only in my Dreams. If this is the benchmark he is setting for himself, let me at it.
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