Cool Hunting Review

Thick with reverb, swirling Rhodes piano and a chorus of distorted bells, Continental Divide's Golden Throats is a shabby collection of five imperfect songs—which isn't meant as a slight. The album's charm lies as much in the music as its visible seams.

Most songs begin with Nathan Pemberton's hesitant vocals echoing over simple progressions on guitar or piano. His voice is the most prominent instrument, and though it may sound unpolished—and occasionally atonal—it's hard to deny a palpable underlying sincerity. Songs vacillate between hushed verses and explosive crescendos, often dissolving into a cloud of analog dissonance. But underneath all of the distortion and clatter are elegant melodies. The dichotomy draws easy comparisons to artists like Phil Elvrum of the Microphones/Mount Eerie or Neutral Milk Hotel. While comparable, the music is far from derivative.

Continental Divide is comprised solely of Pemberton, a Florida-native who plays all instruments on the record and employs a transient assortment of musicians for live performances. In recent months they have shared the stage with the likes of Man Man, the Walkmen and Black Kids. Completely self-released, Golden Throats comes in handmade packaging, cobbled together as shabbily as the music itself.

NPR.org:

"His rough production, weary voice, and smart pop sensibilities create a captivating and charming sound.

The EP Favorite Art for Housewives has a homemade quality that brings to mind Phil Elvrum of the Microphones/Mt. Eerie. The track "All Minor Holidays" is a solemn tune that features reverb layered vocals and harmonium swells." 10/15/2007

5 Acts:

[...]uses distortion to their advantage and sprinkle some bells on top of that. Should be appealing to those of you who like heavy instrumentation with whiny male vocals." 2/7/2007

Skatterbrain's Top Ten of 2007:

"8th Best Song of the Year. A whole album of this would be amazing." 12/19/2006

Rewriteable Content:

"His literal storytelling is unforced and has a unique poetic quality, which draws the listener in." 11/14/2006

Saidthegramophone.com:

"Sometimes I record music. Or at least I've been known to. Just silly little things, sometimes with a few friends but often just me toying with GarageBand in my room at 2am, yelling into my iBook's internal microphone. I love to have my headphones on, something playing, and me just singing for myself, yelling fuzzy, slipping off the beat, too loud or too quiet, like wine sloshing in a glass.

The boy at the head of Continental Divide sings in just this way; there's an organ that sounds like Sunset Rubdown's, drums surprisingly taut, but the greatest satisfaction is in the vocals' slip and buzz. The way it's so amateur it feels hand-sewn: a voice that knits knots. " 10/6/2006

Skatterbrain.org:

"[...]sounds a bit like the result of The Strokes singing some unwritten Wolf Parade song. In fact, it's got a real "Wolf Parade's first two EPs" sound to it, what with the drum explosions, buzzing keyboards, and those sweet sweet bells. With the right production, these songs could be even better than they already are. Keep your eyes fixed on these guys in the coming year." 8/23/2006