October 26, 2012
Cheval Sombre - 'Mad Love'
A beautiful album but its hopelessness is never-ending
6 / 10
Somebody give Christopher Porpora a job writing film scores, quick. The second album from the NYC singer-songwriter and poet should be the soundtrack to a bleak but well-dressed indie-romance flick, the kind that stars Zach Braff doing his glummest face. All 10 songs are about love, sometimes reflecting the good hand-holding bits with warm, fuzzy organ (‘Someplace Else’, ‘I Fell In Love’). But mainly they focus on the parts where love sucks. ‘She Went Walking In The Rain’ is a tender, roughed-up acoustic ballad (MGMT guest on it; Girls will wish they’d written it). ‘Walking In The Desert’ lives up to its name as Porpora’s tired voice sounds clouded by dust and ‘Once I Had A Sweetheart’ is psychedelic despite its miserable mumbling. Definitely a beautiful album but its hopelessness is never-ending, like a friend telling you their relationship troubles for hours and hours. When the credits roll, you’ll sigh with relief that it’s over.
Siân Rowe
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