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With the retirement of stage name Final Fantasy upon the release of his third album, there is already an immediate clue that strings-master Owen Pallett has embarked upon a new direction in his career. The contrast with his previous albums, the preceding one being a fantastically whimsical offering which took inspiration from Dungeons & Dragons and retro Nintendo theme songs, is staggering. The simplicity that was once a backing track with either Pallett’s voice or violin has maturated into complex musical arrangements, featuring the Czech Symphony no less, and a far darker subject matter.
Heartland charts the story of Lewis, a young farmer from the mythic land of Spectrum, who has a penchant for violence and is struggling to come to terms with his creator. The lyrics provide a complex mythology and storyline that meander their way through the sumptuous strings and brass flourishes and for the first time help to establish Pallett as the musical visionary that has been promised since his first solo album and has caused him to be the most wanted arranger of the last few years; he’s worked with artists such as Arcade Fire, Beirut, Pet Shop Boys and The Last Shadow Puppets. Remember Heartland as it will most likely be a fixture on many best of 2010 lists.
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