Mel

“These songs were recorded and mixed in a small apartment in Queens, NYC” according to album’s credits. Like East River Pipe’s previous albums, 1996’s Mel was recorded with home recording equipment with visions of pop grandeur and expressions of unerring sadness underlying the tracks. ERP is really F.M. Cornog, a master of making a grand sound with cheap equipment in cramped quarters. “The Club Isn’t Open,” “I Am A Small Mistake” and “We’re Going to Nowhere” suggest a man coming to terms with his demons. Cornog had spent time as a homeless alcoholic living in the Hoboken, NJ train station (“Kill The Action,” “Prettiest Whore”). Yet, by the album’s conclusion, “Life is Born Today,” he’s singing the word “LOVE” with a sincere repetition. “Beautiful Worn Out Love” aches with harmonies and falsetto, a jangling guitar and a keyboard drifting with melancholy. Even the instrumental, “New York Crown,” oozes emotion from its keyboard grip.  Every East River Pipe album is a stunning, obscure find.