Listening to the sophomore effort from David Kosten, who goes under the moniker Faultline, is like listening to two completely different records laid across a 46-minute period. The first and foremost persona of this one-man band (keyboardist, programmer, and percussionist) is his ability to create atmospheric instrumentals that push every emotional button, from overflowing elation to hushed exasperation. At times his moody, electronically generated beats envelop the listener with an earthy and unprocessed vibe ("Sweet Iris," "Clocks") while other moments transcend time to provide a sweet and surreal dreamlike effect (the title cut and "I Only
Know Myself").
However, don't be too quick to settle into la-la land because interspersed with these half a dozen musical floatation devices are collaborations with six personable singers. The line-up includes The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne on "The Colossal Gray Sunshine," newcomer Jacob Golden on "Bitter Kiss," and rapper Cannibal Ox on the album's oddball "Waiting for the Green Light." Most prominently, R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe guests on a cover of The Brothers Four's "Greenfields," reinforcing the American vocal group's lament for unfulfilled dreams. However, it's Coldplay's Chris Martin who earns the most valuable player award, appearing twice with "Where Is My Boy?" and a finale reprise of the title track, interjecting his heart-rending vocals with a lush Brit-pop influence.
In fact, it's Kosten's far-reaching programming techniques and Martin's impassioned lyrics on "Your Love Means Everything Part 2" that allow the album's split personalities to come full circle, linking the sweeping introduction of the album and its spacey, sometimes disturbing themes with their eventual resolutions. Occasionally evasive yet unpredictable, inspiring yet unpretentious, the split between instrumentals and vocal collaborations on Your Love Means Everything is engaging and enriching, an honest testament to Kosten's artistic development the second time around.
4 tocks
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