Tasteful Mellotron-infused Pop
by TomMcBaum
Fritz Doddy first became a "name" in the Mellotron fan community for his engineering work on new sounds for that pioneering tape-driven instrument. Fritz followed up a series of acclaimed releases with a well-produced EP also entitled The Feeling of Far that, interestingly, contained versions of some of the tracks on this album that were quite different in structure and length. Now, we are able to hear what are presumably Doddy's "final edits" of these earlier releases. (Although the EP was expertly engineered, Doddy's ProTools wizardry is even more apparent on the album than the EP.)
"Cynical Eye" sets the tone of the album with interesting lyrics ("There's no emotions when viewed through a cynical eye") and a Strawberry Fields Forever-influenced riff that hints at what's to follow. Next up is (the EP's dynamic opening cut) AmiEveliano, probably my favorite song on the album. On the album release, these -- and numerous other-- songs segue from track to track with sound effects and soundscapes that would surely feel familiar to anyone familar with late-era Pink Floyd or middle-period Beatles. Indeed, the album has a "pop psychedelia" flavor likely to appeal to fans of either or both of these artists, although Doddy's instrumental arrangements tend more toward the latter, his more modern production sensibilities, with vocal loops, sound effects, and recurring musical motifs, are at least as eclectic as those George Martin or Alan Parsons-produced efforts -- and just as well-suited to repeated listenings. Doddy sings and plays a vast array of instruments, including guitars, mandolins, and all manner of keyboards (including, of course, his prized Mellotrons.) You'll also hear songs sung by others, in at least two non-English languages, and at least as many female guest vocalists. The female vocals on AmiEveliano and The Lonely Path are, for me, the highlights of the album; Doddy's daughter appears on God Is Hiding; his other kids also make appearances on the whimsical "In the Tree."
There are a few moments where some of the multi-layered backing voices sound a bit "pitchy;" Doddy's faux-British accent on "Over You" is, I suppose, a tribute to Paul McCartney's similarly campy tendencies, and the echoing loops in the extended middle section of "in the Tree" seem to go on a bit too long, but the highlights in this excellent album far outweigh these minor matters of taste. If you like an album that takes you on a musical journey, with memorable melodies and a "concept album" style of continuity and reprise, you will enjoy The Feeling of Far.
