FaceMan is a Denver band that performs with props and an element of mystery.  Presentation: how does it really measure against the substance?  I don't know.  However it seems that FaceMan is prepared to show you substance, too.  David Thomas Bailey is known to play the 7-string guitar, and along with drummer Dean Hirschfield the two are accomplished jazz musicians whose musical talents extend into another band called Micro Marauder.  The vocalists' identity is often concealed, and he is known to some as FaceMan Steve.

"TalkTalkTalk" has strong guitars and vocals, relying more on the refrain to really carry the song.  The tempo picks up, stays steady, goes away completely and comes back, eschewing a conventional rhythm without really denying its conventions.  Towards the end of the song, a digital breakdown, mixes things up a little.  For the most part,  the song is catchy enough so you will get the main repeated line stuck in your head:  "I can't sleep / It's my curse / Talk talk talk."  Willowy background vocals weave in and out similarly to the changing tempo; its patterns are really what makes this song enjoyable and fun.




This may be a song you'd like if you are into music that is pop at heart but bends towards experimental.  The earnestness of the vocals, even though there are only a few lines of lyrics used in this song, are a clear indication towards the self-reflective substance of FaceMan's music; even with the sparse words of this track in particular, thoughtfulness is still represented.  When a feeling and a reality can be conveyed in less words, I think that shows a mastery of the songwriting form, similarly to poetry or short fiction.  Keep your eyes out for more new material from this band on their Bandcamp page. This song is a taste of their yet-to-be-released, full-length album that'll be out next February.