When you end up listening to a record for a long time, it's difficult to find that critical position that allows you to recommend a work, in one sense or another. “pack your bags the sun is growing” also resonates with some of the “emo” singer-songwriter records closest to the heart, from Sun Kil Moon (“seasons on the new coast”) to Owen (the semi-title track “pack your bags, it's time to go home”).
We must not make the mistake of limiting too much the album by Dylan Citron and his companions, who certainly knows how to extricate itself outside the narrow confines of the “bedroom” singer-songwriter and introspective album, on the basis of an effort of arrangement and everyone's involvement the members of the group (“leave your things, the stars are returning”).
The real turning point of “pack your bags[…]” lies in the very strong emotional inspiration, which pushes him into the territories of the unforgettable Carissa's Wierd (the violin of “halo on the interstate”). Also the sampling of “mount moon” (the voice message of a grandmother who wishes her a happy birthday , with the tangible embarrassment and affection towards his nephew who has now become a man) does not leave anyone indifferent.
In short, it is a record which, twirling gracefully between explosive interludes and absorbed moments of contemplation (“the great bonfire”, “the city lights”), becomes an involuntary daily soundtrack, with its ability to reproduce with loyalty and participation, everyday mood variations or the sensations of a young person approaching adult life (“sunset(final)”).
05/28/2024
Daniel D`Amico for SANREMO.FM