Deastro is the musical moniker of Randolph Chabot Jr., a 22 year-old songwriter on the brink of household familiarity.  Any naysayers who may have doubted the potential of this young story teller must take note of his new record Moondagger, an escapist album of sorts, one that listens much as a childrens book reads.

But such a metaphor shouldn’t imply an adolescent or underdeveloped capacity for song-craft.  Just the opposite in fact.  With Moondagger Chabot assumes a position of true artist, a creator of things meant to move the spirits.  His use of synthesizers and conventional 8-bit blips and bleeps are reminiscent of both 80’s electronic music and your dusty Nintendo Entertainment System.  The combination of the two is evocative, producing a nostalgia that is both appealing to a generation dubbed “X” as well as that dubbed “Y.”  Each song is a fantastic journey into Chabot’s inspirational subconscious, as “he recounts a dream about a prince, a kingdom, an evil King of Darkness, and a search for the mythical “Moondagger,” the bearer of which wields ultimate power.” (Deastro Myspace)

From the opening track of Moondagger the stage is set.  “Biophelia” begins sounding like a reworked version of the original Final Fantasy that then rolls forward like the turning of a miniature, fairy studded music box.  Thereafter everything is full bore disco beats and heavy synth with overlaying melodies.  The orchestral maneuvers of “Parallelogram” showcase Chabot’s attention to composition, creating a sense of wide open space in a high-ceiling ballroom with masqueraders spinning and laughing below.  Through this all are Chabot’s bouncing melodies that at times seem like hat tipping to classic 80’s melody makers.  The vocal line for “Greens, Grays, and Nordics” might have drawn inspiration directly from the style of Morten Harket (A-ha).  “The Shaded Forests,” Chabot’s true genius from this writer’s perspective, should make Andy McCluskey (OMD) blush with admiration.

Moondagger is solid pop tune after solid pop tune, and discerning hits among them is only made difficult by the quality each song possesses.  Some listeners might be disappointed by the lack of gut wrenching songs-for-a-gloomy-day, but these should bear in mind that this is merely a first look into the creative mind of an artist who fancies putting dreams to song.  Today the powers of good may triumph, but in the future an “Evil King of Darkness” may take hold.  Then we’ll see the darker side of Deastro – the tragic stories, the suffering emotions, and the need for something or someone to save a troubled heart.  Should this come to pass, we might expect the lower registers of the synthesizer to receive more attention and the melodies to drone on longingly.  We’ll have to wait and see, but in the meantime, 2009 will be the year of the Moondagger, raising the spirits of fans in clubs, cars, and bedrooms near and far.

Deastro plays the 7th Street Entry this Thursday, June 18.  Tickets are $10, doors open at 8:00PM.  Other 2009 tour dates for Deastro may be viewed HERE.

[audio=http://borangutan.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/02-parallelogram.mp3]

Parallelogram by: Deastro

[audio=http://borangutan.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/13-the-shaded-forests-cd-bonus-tracks.mp3]

The Shaded Forests by: Deastro

Moondagger Track List

1. Biophelia
2. Parallelogram
3. Tone Adventure
4. Toxic Crusaders
5. Greens, Grays, and Nordics
6. Day of Wonder
7. Pyramid Builders
8. Daniel Johnston Was Stabbed in the Heart with a Moondagger
9. Rivers of Life
10. Vermillion Plaza
11. Moondagger
12. Kurgan Wave Number One
13. The Shaded Forests*
14. Tree Frog*

* Note: The author has seen copies of Moondagger available online that do not include these songs.

Links

Deastro – Website / Myspace

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posted June 16th, 2009 at 2:34 pm Reviews Deastro, Moondagger