Recorded over the course of two years in various studios throughout Toronto, the name Patchwork for the debut album from Us & Others is a fitting title for all the album tries to incorporate. Sadly, the metaphoric effect is lost over the course of the album as all the poetry and creativity are drowned in a sea of repetition and melodrama.
The lyrics are the standout feature throughout the album and clearly display the great effort by songwriter Graeme Cornies, however it’s difficult to distinguish one song from another. The album has a mechanical feel, with the structure of every song nearly identical. Although filled with literary devices, the lyrics can become chronically repetitive as about 90 per cent of them focus on the tender relationship involving a “you” or “we.” At times there are angst-filled displays of emotion, but even when the album gets a bit harder its production is far too clean to be believable.
Overall the mosaic comes together quite well, as the title Patchwork suggests. The lyrics, music and production mesh well but ultimately do not create a very listenable album. A good album for fans of soft-indie or those who enjoy music overflowing with poetry, Us & Others certainly have potential, but their debut falls a little short.