The Six Parts Seven

The Six Parts Seven

Lost Notes From Forgotten Songs (Suicide Squeeze) Last year, Ohio quintet the Six Parts Seven turned several of their brooding instrumental tracks over to some of the most talented folks in indie rock. They also turned them over to some real duds. Set alongside one's peers, an artist either looks really good or really bad. The really good ones on this collection are no surprise, starting with Sam Beam of Iron & Wine. He employs his whispered approach, gentle fingerpicking, and general sweet sensitivity, having "re.made" (ghastly pretension, that) "Sleeping Diagonally," a tune that evokes the loneliness of having the bed to oneself. Jenn Ghetto and Mat Brooke of Seattle's Carissa's Wierd follow up with "On Marriage," a gorgeous, evocative tune – a couple singing to each other on their wedding day. Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse) tones down the weirdo a bit for "From California to Houston, on Lightspeed." It's simple, bookended by Brock's lisping voiceover, "I knew these people, they were in love." Brushed percussion, banjo, and Brock's poetry are all that's needed to turn this song into gold. The same goes for Will Johnson's "re.alization" of "Song of Impossible Things." The project starts to collapse a bit by the sixth track. There's nothing wrong with John Atkins' (the Magic Magicians) interpretation of "Attitudes of Collapse," but he sounds a little too much like Ben Gibbard for comfort. The final third of this album, though, is disappointing and, at times, painful to endure. It's too bad, because the songs deserve better. (Wednesday, March 17, 11:45pm @ La Zona Rosa)