Stoker – Programmed To Exist

Stoker – Programmed To Exist – Album Review

Man!  I freakin’ dig the confidence in Stoker’s vocals as this title-track started up the record…Joseph Belsher attacks the microphone with clear & bold tone, not holding anything back as he establishes a standard that he’ll go on to live up to throughout the course of this Alt-Indie/Folk record he and his band have got goin’ on here.  “Programmed To Exist” is short…an intro of sorts, weighing in at less than a full minute in length – but it’s got a real fresh energy to it that fills you with hope that what you’ll hear throughout the set-list of nine songs will have this much energy to it all.  “Programmed To Exist” is just a quick acoustic-based hello really after we’ve scanned through the radio dial looking for a station that we can tune into…it’s both welcoming, and curiosity-inducing, which I like.

For real…for being Programmed To Exist, Stoker sure as heck sounds like it’s alive and thriving.  As we shift into “Your Arms” from the intro, listening to the bent melody of the acoustic and appreciating that whole Indie-vibe it comes along with, you’ve gotta dig the extra hook it creates.  That’s the thing about those out there that embrace the art…innovation never stops, you just need to have some imagination is all.  In many ways, if you looked at the ingredients of “Your Arms” and its music on paper, you might not even assume that it’d work…yet here we are and that’s the case – it does, perfectly.  I love the low-end definition that Stoker brings into the song to beef it up…I think the Joseph sings this song like a freakin’ champion…and all-in-all, the songwriting is completely sound.  I dig the way they add in the backing vocals and layers to thicken things up, but ultimately, the Belsher’s just got the right melody to begin with, and his personality on the mic seems to be second to none.  I like the whole melted-tape vibe of his music on this tune, and I’d listen to the guy sing the phonebook…lots of positives to work with for sure.  The most room Stoker has to its evolution is likely found in the overall production…there could be a few stylistic choices being intentionally made here, and we’ll talk more about that before this is all over, but I’m still hearing some wiggle room for improvement.  All the knobs and dials in the world can’t compensate for wack writing though…so to me, Stoker’s on the right side of things right now…the ideas are fantastic; and the technical stuff can be worked on over time.  I don’t mind the sound at all personally…I think of bands that would be in his realm like Sparklehorse and Grandaddy…they experimented with all kinds of textures in their music, and successfully, like “Your Arms” does.  All I’m saying is that the option for evolution likely exists in that area…but it’s up to Stoker.  I’d personally listen to a song like “Your Arms” all damn day and never complain about it, for the record.

Yeah…I mean…if you’re asking me, and it appears someone out there did, I’d tell ya that Stoker’s really onto something overall – this is absolutely interesting stuff to listen to.  They might be supplying us with BASEMENT VERSIONS of the material, like they do with “Vacation Day” – but in truth, I felt like the sound quality of this cut was actually closer to what they should probably be going for more-so than the cut beforehand.  My gut tells me that I like “Your Arms” a bit more as a song…but it’s also telling me that the finale of “Vacation Day – Basement Version” also has that magic I’m always seeking out in the music I’m listening to.  One of the longer tunes on the record, Stoker uses the art of the reveal to move this song along…going from the bare bones at the start, to adding in a beat throughout its midsection, to creating a highly unique & atmospheric breakdown, and finally diving straight into an ethereal sound before taking this song to a whole new level by the time it’s all over – it’s quite the journey.  I think there are great hooks in this tune that are somewhat anti-typical, but no less effective…I think they’ve done an incredible job with the background layers and giving your ears more to listen to…and I think that final transition around the 3:40 mark is pure sonic gold.  I really dig on how Stoker seems to be both raw AF and yet completely refined at the very same time.  Even in what appears to be the shakiest moments or most vulnerable, you can tell they know exactly what they want to get out of the material, and they go after it with true conviction, purpose, and intent…I’m loving it.  After many spins through “Vacation Day – Basement Version” I’m fairly convinced I love it just as much as “Your Arms” if not a little bit more.  A lot of that has to do with the backing layers and harmonies they’re using…or the way that they morphed this song from an aggressive acoustic vibe to its more delicate moments so seamlessly…this is real artistry, writing from an insightfully loose perspective that creates compelling moments to consider.

“Visitation Theme” is a stellar example of how to make something simple way more complicated.  That’s the art of it all though y’all…sometimes you gotta challenge yourself and keep the craft enjoyable too, you dig?  I’ll be real with ya…I was never entirely sure of how I felt about “Visitation Theme.”  I know that I’d personally prefer tracks like “Your Arms” or “Vacation Day,” but I was never opposed to what I was hearing on “Visitation Theme” either.  I think it’s that nagging feeling I get when I know that the song or melody I’m listening to is likely gonna escape the majority of people listening to it…like, to be completely honest with ya, for as simple as it appears, “Visitation Theme” is magnificently complex and Stoker puts that out there proudly.  So you end up with this like…song that seems like people would ‘get’ but is likely to be beyond what they’d normally accept – make sense?  I’m never gonna be the guy to tell ya that you should cater to the masses out there, because fuck that, but I am always gonna be the guy to point out where obstacles might exist in between an artist or band and the potential audience listening.  “Visitation Theme” actually has quite a few by my estimation – but they’re also remarkably well masked, and to the point where Stoker might just get away with making an overtly complex song more palatable than listeners would actually realize.  Ultimately, that ain’t easy to pull off…and if they deserve some bonus points, it’d be for what they accomplish in that regard on “Visitation Theme.”  There’s definitely melody and hooks in this song that’ll have no problem at all connecting to the people out there listening…but yeah…it’ll be interesting to see how this track is received overall.  I’m impressed that Stoker is able to make this cut seem so much more simplistic than it is…their use of timing is really clever.

There was a moment where I felt like Stoker might be drifting a bit too far off from the plot as “Let You In” began, at least on that very first spin and coming after a more challenging cut like “Visitation Theme” – but I should have known better.  Bands like Stoker aren’t going to simply take the straightest line from A to B…and when you hit that 1:35 mark of “Let You In,” you’ll know what I mean.  To be truthful, I think they rescued this particular track with the hook they bring in…and I feel like there’s some evidence of that in the fact that they continue to ride that same hook straight on through to the end of this tune from that pivotal moment forward.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that the first ninety-five seconds of “Let You In” don’t have anything to offer ya…I suppose it’s just that it would have been a lot more ‘normal’ if that’s all the song was.  You’d have thought it was the sound of your boyfriend pulling out the ol’ acoustic guitar (again) to play you a song for the fifth time on a Tuesday night…and what this track really needed was that burst of inspired energy that would make you wanna come back to it, which is exactly what you get at its main switch at 1:35 in.  With a fantastic assist from Ryan Cheney, “Let You In” winds up becoming a genuinely memorable highlight as a result of its most crucial transition mid-song.  Never underestimate the value that a single part can make y’all…it can completely make the entire difference, and in an instance like this, it can make a good tune a great one just by flipping the switch.  I do think that the impact the second half of “Let You In” makes does owe something to its low-key beginning, but that’s the most you’ll find me conceding to ya.  Other than that, it’s really the second-half of “Let You In” that would be what makes you wanna come back to this cut for spins afterward, which it truly deserves.

“San Francisco” is beautifully poetic, and a song that reveals a different dimension of Stoker’s sound in my opinion.  Overall, there’s a metric ton of heart in a tune like this…it’s gorgeous.  Probably my favorite guest appearance on the record too – Karen Choi does an exceptional job backing up Belsher’s vocals and complementing the whole sound of what we hear from the microphone.  Ultimately, “San Francisco” is a bit shorter than it appears with an ending that’s comprised of scanning through the radio dial like how we began the adventure in listening to Programmed To Exist.  There are so many things I love about “San Francisco” when it comes right down to it…I think it’s got an old R.E.M.-esque sound to the guitar, infused with the depth of songwriting you’d find in a Ben Gibbard tune, and with the bold fragility and open vulnerability we’ve come to love about Stoker and the way Belsher sings these songs.  I’m very much a fan of the way this whole track has come out from start to finish…and I suppose this is what I was trying to say earlier from the opposite perspective in talking about “Visitation Theme” – sometimes the most effective way to go is the simplest route, know what I mean?  Stoker doesn’t overcomplicate any element of “San Francisco,” and gives this song everything it was calling out for.  The release in the main hooks of the chorus comes out brilliantly, and I love it…but I’d basically be lying to ya by omission if I didn’t point out that it’s actually the verses that seem to provide this song’s most poetically compelling & evocative moments.  The chorus is built on pure expression and sweetness and charm…you really can’t go wrong with any part of “San Francisco” all-around…it’s undeniably one of Stoker’s best tracks.

I appreciate the uniqueness of a song like “Reflection String,” which also has Karen Choi as a featured guest.  Admittedly, it’s not going to be as accessible as a track like “San Francisco” was right beforehand, but in terms of the art and craft, there’s a lot of meat on the bone when it comes to “Reflection String.”  This would be more akin to the deep cuts you’d find in something like the Iron & Wine catalog…and I’d be just as apt to make the same comments on his music as well…quality songs without a doubt, but decisively elusive to most ears when Sam Beam is in his most artistic mode.  I think that first main hook in the chorus of “Reflection String” certainly lands with the weight it should for such a smart changeup in the melody, but I don’t know if that’s gonna be quite enough to get this track the attention it likely should attain.  I like the violin in the mix, I like Karen’s vocals as a complement to the lead once again, and I feel like there’s always something substantial to be found in the lyricism of Stoker’s songs.  Didn’t love the ending so much…and I suppose I feel like “Reflection String” is asking a bit more from us as listeners than the majority of the lineup does in terms of how easy it is to enjoy…but I dunno…I’d also readily tell you that if you’ve been digging on this album so far, there’s no reason at all you won’t like “Reflection String” too.  I think it’s just one of those things…you hear how remarkable a song like “San Francisco” was, and the pressure is instantly on both Stoker and Karen to achieve that level of greatness again.  To be real with ya, they come about as close as anyone possibly could in my opinion…the reality is, they collaborated on one of those rare tunes that kinda come along once in a lifetime right beforehand, which pales the results of “Reflection String” a bit by comparison.  They put in the work though…it’s not so much on “Reflection String” for not hitting the mark so much as “San Francisco” speaks volumes on behalf of what the magic of music really sounds like when you hear it.  You can villainize me for these comments if ya like…but it’s on them for creating such a stunning song to listen to, not me for feeling this way – so don’t shoot the messenger!

With a second appearance from Ryan Cheney and an assist from Boxcar, “Park Owl Dream – Basement Version” is another track on this album that’ll fluctuate cleverly between what sounds straightforward and what seems articulately artistic.  So…yeah…I mean…it’ll be a confusing track for most listeners out there, and Stoker’s probably just gonna have to accept that fact.  I’m relatively sure that they already have, and that I’m not really telling them anything they don’t know.  The more artistic you get, the more obstacles you’ll find between a song and the average everyday listener…it’s tried, tested, and true math.  Like I told ya earlier – I ain’t gonna be the guy that tells you to cater to the lowest common denominator – you do you, and let the world catch up to that if you’re ahead of’em.  It can take some patience without a doubt, but there’s no reason you should sacrifice creativity, uniqueness, or identity in pursuit of a larger degree of accessibility…that’s the recipe for killing art.  I think there are a lot of redeeming qualities to a song like “Park Owl Dream – Basement Version” at the end of the day…the instrumentation and the musicianship is tangibly awesome…the vocals in the main hooks are nothing short of remarkable…and overall, you don’t hear a whole lot of songs like this one here.  All of these things are good things…it’s tracks like this one that end up expanding the palette of those that listen, even though there’s a solid chance a cut like “Park Owl Dream” is still gonna be relegated to the basement from whence it came long after its exposure.  I’m a fan of things that are different, and this track is definitely that.  What I thought was seriously remarkable about “Park Owl Dream” is how it seemed to snap so precisely into a melodic hook almost straight outta left field, and each time it happened, it was audibly profound to experience…like it was a real achievement to end up where it did from where it came from, ya feel me?

Finishing things off, Stoker’s got “Saplingstretch” as the finale…the longest track on the record.  Honestly it was a bit of a surprising and perplexing track to listen to…it definitely wasn’t the ending I was expecting.  Thematically, it’s on-point for the concept they’ve threaded into Programmed To Exist without a doubt – but the rest seemed like it didn’t quite get to where they’d want to go with it somehow.  This is where an artistic vision can bite you a little bit…I recognize they’ve got a whole lot of buzzing and static woven into the sound of “Saplingstretch” on purpose…but at some point you gotta ask yourself if that’s the sound the majority of people out there listening are gonna want to hear, or if they’re going to think that the concept outweighs the sound itself.  If they do, fantastic!  But my gut tells me that’s a tall freakin’ ask of people’s patience dear readers, dear friends.  Static in general is one of the riskiest things for a musical artist to use, because it’s so commonly misperceived as bad production even under the best of circumstances, no matter how obviously intentional it might seem to be.  Like…I get it…and if you’ve been listening to Programmed To Exist from beginning to end, you should get it too…but even with that being the case, it’s still not going to be many folks favorite sound getting in between them and the song they’re listening to…I suppose that’s what I’m saying.  Anyhow…that just kind of is what it is.  I think the larger issue is that “Saplingstretch” didn’t feel like it had enough to it by comparison to the rest of the record.  I appreciate how much work would actually go into the art here, but the song at the core of it all just seemed okay on an album that’s full of brilliant material…almost as if Stoker knew how much the interference would interfere, and didn’t want to let one of their best cuts be affected by that.  So we get a good song, not a great one, to finish off the album instead, whereby the static that tours us through the album at the end became my favorite part of this last track instead.  Because at the end of the day, I actually do like static and weird shit – that’s me…but I’m not everyone.  I guess it’s best to be clearer than what I’m hearing here – artistically, I dig it, it’s got a lot of merit, but I’d probably rather hear another incredible song from Stoker than gambling on a concept this much.  They’re capable of amazing things, which they’ve displayed all throughout this whole record, arguably even in this last track too to a degree.  I look at it this way…a song like “Saplingstretch” has a better chance with me than it would with most, and even I’m not sure this came out at the same level that the rest of Stoker’s material did on Programmed To Exist.  That being said, I feel like the album overall is a highly significant win for Stoker, the art, and the craft as a whole…it’s a noteworthy debut album that is for the most part filled with golden ideas & melodies that are stunningly unique, interesting and engaging musicianship, and a whole lotta heart invested into every song they’ve written.  I know I appreciate that – and I feel like y’all will too.

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