Constellation

Album Review

If you had to apply a genre to Seth Bernard's second album, Constellation, it would probably be neo-psychedelic jug-band folk-rock, though somehow that doesn't quite cover all the bases. Bernard's forte is whimsical philosophic musings set to a variety of aural backgrounds, from the shards of backwards electric guitar on "Gandhi Gahti" and the old-time jazz of "Sari Brown" to the hippie-fied funk of "Blue Eyed Stranger". For all the eclecticism, Constellation has a surprisingly unified vibe, with Bernard's laid-back posey and rootsy grooves not so much dominating the proceedings as cheerfully ingratiating themselves throughout, and the musicians who accompany him bring some very impressive chops to the table without taking the focus away from the leader. From a lyrical standpoint, Bernard's aggressively good-natured hippie stance will either speak to you or it won't, but the music on Constellation is crafted with enough skill and diversity that the album will get over with most listeners even if they're not hip to what he has to say.