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Origami Ghosts
Short Momentum
Hand to Media
John Paul Scesniak, founder of Seattle’s Origami Ghosts, did not learn to play the guitar until his late teens, but the quirky lyrics of the sophomore album, Short Momentum, make it seem as though musical ideas have been floating in his head since he was a kid.
Scesniak has a childlike imagination, which makes a wonderful partnership with the band’s wacky and colorful approach to pop music. His words could paint the pictures to a children’s book, while also provoking thought.
On “Rearranging Furniture” Scesniak sings, “If I was an iguana, you’d wish you could be a chameleon / You could hang out with all my pretty green friends / And then you’d know a lot about me”.
The nature metaphors also dominate on “Thai Frog”, “Trees they fall like spring does into summer when I’m in winter / I like the sound the trees make when they are first discovered”.
Scesniak bends his vocals to afflict different emotions, but instead of coming out obscure and pretentious, his voice and music create a warm and humble atmosphere. At times, the vocals sounds similar to Ben Bridwell of Band of Horses and Carissa’s Wierd, while at other times, he sounds like a male version of Kimya Dawson. Scesniak is not afraid of showing his curiosity and love for exploration, as displayed on “Story?”, “Where do thoughts go when you forget them?”, he asks.
Vivid lyrics make Origami Ghosts a contender for being labeled a straightforward pop band, but cello and fuzzy guitar add some edge. The cello sits around the edges and creates a tone similar to that of Cursive and Joan of Arc – although Origami Ghosts does not necessarily sound like either of those bands.
Likewise, if the band were stripped down to its bare bones, it would sound a lot like Death Cab for Cutie and The Shins, but the styling of Origami Ghosts is more lighthearted and zany.
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