Sympathy from Chicago’s Scattered Trees is a beautiful headphones record that almost didn’t happen. After becoming staples of Chicago clubs, time passed, and the band members began to drift. Then fate intervened- singer Nate Elseland’s father passed away and he started to write the songs that became the album. Sometimes loss fuels great creativity. Like Hospice by The Antlers or Leave Ruin by Strands of Oak. this is a beautiful album born of great pain.
The album’s first track, “bury the floors,” starts with a droning sound, and then a vocal against a single piano key, plinked softly. A chorus of harmonies play behind the lead vocal and against a tambourine. Most of the song is this simple, very reminiscent of an old Beach Boys song.
The next song, “A Conversation About Death On New Year’s Eve” is much more interesting. It starts with simple drums, bass, and keyboards. Soon the vocals kick in, followed by a fantastic, catchy chorus. “Everybody’s falling apart” sings Elseland. It’s slow, sad, and somber, but oh so beautiful.
Most of the album continues in this mode. The third track, “Love and Leave,” is a little faster, but still sad, and still featuring a great chorus. “Every day you love and leave me”, is sung but it sounds like there’s a smirk behind the whole thing.
“Sympathy” makes it obvious that there’s a theme behind these songs. They’re full of leaving, and loss, and desperation. The whole thing is produced very well, and the sadness belies a pop sensibility. It’s fantastic stuff in a lot of ways.
“I Swear To God” is probably the best thing here. The lyrics are nakedly honest in a way that’s a little scary: “now my father’s dead, and still you haven’t shown”. The “where are you Jesus” is a little hokey, but if you can get past that, it’s a great song. Brian Wilson referred to Smile as a “teenage symphony to god”, and the same thing is going on here. The song is a plea to god, and that could be the key to the album.
After that song is “On Your Side” where Elseland seems to make peace with the lover he seems to be disagreeing with throughout the album. It could be god, or his father’s ghost, or simply a woman. It’s a fascinating coda to an album that is kind of fascinating as a whole. Then the whole thing is over, and all you can do is listen to it all over again.
Track listing:
1. Bury The Floors
2. A Conversation
3. I’m in a Panic
4. Love and Leave
5. Four Days Straight
6. Sympathy
7. Five Minutes
8. Where You Came From
9. I swear to God
10. On Your Side
