The Fat Angel Sings

On the off chance there were any doubters of the songwriting gifts of Portland’s Mo Troper following his 2016 debut, Beloved, those suspicions ought to be dashed, scattered and abandoned after a listen to his follow-up, “Exposure & Response”.  A harmonic choir intro opens the record on the satirical “Rock And Roll Will Change The World,” a pessimistic shout-down to those who still believe in the transformative power of art. The rub, of course, is how gorgeously Troper masks his ironies, winking at his audience even as he attempts to break down their comfort zones. The subsequent “Your Brand” continues his admonishment of the social media generation, which Troper can most certainly count himself a member of, with a guitar-rock onslaught.

Shades of Brian Wilson melodics shine through Exposure & Response, especially on “Big School,” where the minutiae of daily struggles are given grandiose treatment within a “Don’t Worry Baby” pop structure. Troper’s vocal range is frequently given to elastic fits, stretching the thinness of his voice to notes that you can hear him struggling beautifully to attain. That element of Troper’s musical alchemy is central to the power of his songs; as fun and punchy as the music has the potential to be on its own, it’s Mo Troper’s snarky lyrical charms that truly take center stage.

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