Walter Schreifels – An Open Letter to the Scene

Walter Schreifels has made a career out of sifting around the hardcore scene.  Best known for his work in Gorilla Buscuits and Youth Of Today, wherever innovative hardcore emerges, Schreifels has been close behind.  Weather it was the post-hardcore slant of Quicksand, or the brit-pop inspiration driving Walking Concert, his involvement has always promised something unique.  So it comes as no surprise that his debut solo project finds Schreifels forging new ground, marking his biggest break from his hardcore roots to date.

Released through Dine Alone Records, the aptly named An Open Letter To The Scene introduces listeners to a quiet and introspective Schreifels.  Fueled by a smooth combination of indie and folk, An Open Letter fits somewhere between rougher edged labelmates Attack In Black and soft indie mainstay The Weakerthans.  When compared with contemporary indie offerings, Schreifels holds his ground well, and wouldn’t sound out of place amidst influential Arts & Crafts label heavyweights Jason Collett or Gentlemen Reg.

Generally, the album flows through a variety of tempos and weights, always delivering a keen sense of continuity.  In a sense, there’s a little something here for everybody.  There are playful acoustic ditties like the opener “Arthur Lee’s Lullaby,” as well as harder, but just as easy to get into alternative outings like “She Is To Me.”  Furthermore, Schreifels knows how to generate a full-bodied sound within a minimalist mindset, making every track vibrant and full of life.  As seen on tracks like “Ballad Of Lil’ Kim” electric tracks interlace with delicate acoustic and percussive flourishes.  Other times they stand on their own, held up by the weight of passionate vocals and a daring insight. “Wild Pandas” stands out in particular, as Schreifels strums nostalgically to a personal tale of love, loss, and recovery.

But as strong as Schreifels’ acoustic self is, his real strengths shine when exploring his experimental side; the pinnacle of which can be found on the syth rock laced “Don’t Gotta Prove It.”  Here Schreifels achieves an underlying playfulness sure to welcome comparisons with experimentalist Beck’s early career.  Much like Beck, the madness comes together through a subtle mixture of southern, country, and rock n’ roll for head nodding, sing-along results.  In fact, it’s so catchy that it runs the risk of overshadowing Schreifels’ otherwise strong subdued side.

Fans of broad-based indie and complex folk-punk will find a lot to like here.   Schreifels debut is thoughtful, introspective, and easy going, while maintaining a rustic edge informed by his hardcore past.  Many legacy artists fumble after moving away from their career catalysts; but not Schreifels.  Over twenty years later Walter Schreifels insists on adamantly pushing into new and foreign territory.  And with many punk and hardcore front men latching on to the sound that originally put them on the map, An Open Letter To The Scene is a solid example of an artist willing to take chances, and refusing to saturate.