Paulson – All At Once [Re-Issue]

Paulson‘s debut album, Variations, was quite well received for it’s atmospheric pop sensibilities and well crafted musicianship. I, however, found it dull and difficult to listen though all the way. Soon after that their label, Initial Records, collapsed and Paulson found their way onto One Day Savior to release their follow-up All At Once. The album was, once again, well received but didn’t reach as many people as they hoped and that’s how we find ourselves where we’re at today. After signing to Doghouse Records, Paulson are set to re-issue All At Once with three bonus songs and while I still find it slightly dull to listen to I am starting to see why so many people were blown away by it in the first place.

While not as heavy on pre-programmed effects and vocoders as they were on Variations, those digitalized effects and keyboard melodies still play a prominent part of the Paulson song structure. Calling On You – one of the new tracks only available on the Doghouse version of the album – is by far the most effect laden track on the album, bringing up visions of Hellogoodbye; and even though the programmed effects and keyboard melodies can sometimes become overbearing it is also the key ingredient in creating the atmospheric pop-rock sound that All At Once is built around.

The songs are built on a swirling spectrum of sounds. Combining swooning guitar riffs with distinct drum patterns and a myriad of keyboard melodies, All At Once is a multi-layered piece of artistic ingenuity; add in the brooding vocals and you are giving a sense of foreboding and darkness. Sadly though, this multi-layered piece of artistic ingenuity very quickly becomes flat and stale as it becomes repeated during every track with little variation and even less of an emotional force driving it forward. As the album moves past its halfway point you’re just waiting patiently for it to end since there’s no longer any intrigued left in the album, you’ve seen everything they have to offer and there’ nothing left to keep you listening. They’re able to create the atmospheric pop feel to it, but lack the passion and delivery that bands like Dredg have previously brought to the table. Instead you’re left with just a cheap knock off.

I can’t deny that there’s some definite skill embedded throughout All At Once, but they aren’t able to use that skill to really captivate me as a listener. Instead, I’m just left bored and waiting for it to end. In fact, the most accurate comparison I could make for these guys would be Mae or Armor For Sleep – both are nationally known acts for their polished atmospheric, emotional, keyboard oriented sound; but just likePaulson, I can never sit through an entire Mae or Armor For Sleep album front to back – I’d much rather be sleeping.