Complete Strangers

Complete Strangers came together slowly over demos at Andy Cabic's home in San Francisco and during a quick trips to L.A., continuing on with producer Thom Monahan at his studio. Once basic arrangements were laid,Cabic jumped into the studio with Bart Davenport, Gabe Noel and Josh Adams for a few days to put down rhythm tracks. That's when the album really took shape. Thom & Andy fleshed everything out with a few more musicians in San Francisco & L.A. and eventually Complete Strangers arrived. The songs on Complete Strangers bear some resemblance to the album's title. They share things in common but come from different places, different times. "Stranger Still" is an anthem for insomniacs, illuminating the hours when the world exceeds our grasp. "From Now On" rings out some emotional tinnitus, the moment a night runs away from you, when freedoms turn into responsibilities. The album builds around dualities, the way people pair at parties. "Current Carry" percolates with the confidence of love, while "Confiding" reveals how vulnerable we are chasing love. "Backwards Slowly" and "Edgar" are vignettes of transition, more ebb than flow. As with many of Vetiver's better moments, sunshine is only a chord away from melancholy. An introspective lyric underlies an extroverted chorus. Subtlety tries to be outgoing, loneliness familiar, in an effort to connect the dots of life's ellipsis.