Send "Chad VanGaalen " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Pitchfork |
 In addition to turning in three very solid albums of his own in the past few years, Chad VanGaalen also produced fellow Albertans Women. The two albums he made with that band in his basement were distinctly homespun and lo-fi sounding, but packed with some of his characteristic idiosyncrasies-- from recording on boomboxes to unexpected appearances of synth to flourishes of odd percussion. There was a sense that Women were being let into VanGaalen's world rather than the other way around.So it makes sense that he returns to the sound of the two Women albums on his fourth LP, Diaper Island. VanGaalen's previous records are characterized by their eclecticism, veering from acoustic folk songs to electronic synth workouts, and they often sound like grab-bags drawn from his apparently prolific recording habits (he recently told an interviewer he had recorded 80 songs leading up to this record). Part of what makes Diaper Island a success is its cohesive sound and restraint. There's an economy in his instrumentation and recording that allows a set of well-written songs to take center stage. On Diaper Island VanGaalen internalizes feelings of restlessness into the fabric of his songs, giving them more depth than before. The de-tuned guitars of "Peace on the Rise" hew close to the sound of 1990s indie-- bands like Sonic Youth and Pavement loom large here-- spinning a downtrodden riff that's also quite an earworm. But the song's melancholy tinge takes an unexpected nosedive halfway through the song in a beautiful, droning mid-section that opens out with horns and rough textures. It's a characteristic left-turn, the kind of unexpected shift that VanGaalen used to perform with production switches on previous records....full text |
| Prefixmag |
| Chad VanGaalen's third full-length album, 2008's great Soft Airplance, marked the first time he would release a project made up of only new tunes. Previously, he relied on home recordings while creating albums such as his 2004 debut, Infiniheart. Continuing the trend of firsts is his fourth record, Diaper Island, as it was recorded in his new home studio. This was a change from his former basement studio space and, perhaps, the new digs served as the inspiration for what has been called his most cohesive, guitar-centric album to date....full text |
| Popstache |
| Hailing from the Great White North of Canada is Chad Vangaalen, a lo-fi aficionado whose work to date has been brimming with confidence, but somewhat lacking in focus. His latest effort, the cheekily titled Diaper Island, marks something of a turning point for Vangaalen. This one-time busker from the streets of Calgary has finally found something of a niche, setting aside any fashionable distractions in lieu of an endearing emotionalism. The album’s opening track, “Do Not Fear,” is a surprisingly anthemic tune that finds VanGaalen making use of a surprisingly broad soundscape. Despite the minimalist instrumentation, the song builds a kind of energy seemingly incongruous to the album’s implied aesthetic. What this reveals about “Diaper Island,” as well as VanGaalen himself, is that it’s better to work with a wide palate. It’s easy for an artist to inadvertently work his or herself into a corner by sticking so closely to an ideal that they limit themselves to mere gimmicks. VanGaalen excels in avoiding pretention and isn’t afraid to step out on a limb. There’s a coy intelligence to “Diaper Island,” an album that’s as listenable as it is eclectic. From the bedroom power pop ditties like “Sara” and “Burning Photographs” to the bluesy ballads “Peace on the Rise” and “No Panic/No Heat,” to the chunky garage rock of “Replace Me” VanGaalen is able to boast a number of textures while utilizing an aesthetic that generally doesn’t yield such diversity....full text |
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