skipperwizard "wizard I"
Reviews by: Drey Kereakos, Writer @drey.d.k.
Edited by: Andrew Perrizo, Owner/Editor @PlaylistTC
This article has been updated as of 3/30/23 2:40 CT
If you like what we are doing, please consider supporting us on Patreon, PayPal, or Venmo.
From gentle guitar melodies and fuzzy vocalization, to underlying synthesized moments that lead into total distortion, Liam Armstrong, otherwise known as skipperwizard, has created a soundscape of a world that is entirely their own. In fact, the narratives created through dreams, is something that very much drives Armstrong’s work forward. Growing up, he frequently drew up images of wizards and suburban landscapes, and having lived in a particularly rural area, found himself spending a lot of time in outdoor solitude. These aspects of life have carried over into his songwriting, as well as the self-actualization of himself as an artist over time.
Their most recent project, “wizard I”, released in late January of 2023, is a reflection of his life up until this point. In what Armstrong claims is their most vulnerable work yet, he takes us through a little over 16 minutes worth of songs that are raw in sound and emotional content. With overarching themes of mental strain and environmental dread, this predominantly guitar and synth forward project contains a plethora of varying melodies that become both layered and distorted at times. The first track, “haunt”, is unique in the sense that it is the only entirely instrumental song on the project. Within the first 12 seconds the song completely shifts from how it begins. What starts as a distant yet comforting electric guitar melody, abruptly changes into a crisp acoustic one with a synth part floating over it, gradually increasing in volume.
The next track, “i want to be a skipping stone”, is the first to contain vocals, as well as a sudden pitch-altered ending. This song is also jam packed with emotional metaphors in relation to nature. “I wanna be a big old log, that you sit under when you’re bored. I wanna be a skipping stone that sinks into your deep blue soul.”, he sings.
Next up is “the stream (this dream)”, which honestly, in my opinion has some of the coolest things going on melodically. It begins with a guitar melody, where a similar synthesized melody ends up on top of it, and by the time the vocals come in, the synth part essentially vanishes and then creeps back in towards the end. “Love waits for patience”, is also an incredibly memorable line for me. There’s relatability and subtlety to it, that I not only find resonant emotionally but I feel exists within my own songwriting as well. I think the same can be said regarding the repetition of the line, alongside the layering of certain melodies.
We then have the song “cabin”, which ultimately is a sweet little song about wanting to build a cabin in the woods to chill in. Definitely the simplest track in terms of instrumentation and structure, but still very pleasant sounding. “cabin” to me, almost sounds like if Alex G decided to cover an Adrienne Lenker song or something, except, obviously neither of those people even wrote the song.
We’re now a little over halfway through the project, which is weird to say considering each of the first 4 songs hardly even exceed 2 minutes in length. However, I think there’s something special to be said about a musical work that is so short, but somehow can still stand out so much. Honestly, I think the fifth track, “this dream (the stream)”, is the song that genuinely caught my attention the first listen through this album. NOT to be confused with the third track from earlier, “the stream (this dream)”, which I did actually ask Armstrong if there was any correlation between, for which he said no. About 32 seconds in, the synth part that introduces this song begins to lag in a super catching way, and once it goes back to normal with the vocals, the instrumentation that follows is some of my favorite on this entire album. Not that it matters a whole lot, but this track is also the longest in length of any of the others. It exceeds 4 minutes as opposed to hardly getting past 2 minutes. This is also the only song containing any kind of key part in raw form. The last minute or so of the song is made up entirely of a piano outro that eventually experiences a conclusion similar to the second track in terms of there being a noticeable pitch-alteration.
The penultimate track on the project, is “longsleeves”, and in contrast to the previous track, is slightly under 2 minutes in length. Now, despite the shortness, it really packs a punch emotionally. It is blatant and honest in a way I feel the other songs only scratch the surface in comparison. Which makes me glad that they choose to leave things on a somewhat brighter note with the final track, “friends”. It’s like the song of acceptance. Facing things as they are, being up front about not wanting to be alone, and desired avoidance that comes with moving forward in life.
Overall, “wizard I” tackles some extremely vulnerable but important themes. As much as I’m drawn to the way it sounds, I’m also drawn to the way it feels. It portrays a simultaneous closeness and distance that feels very familiar as someone who also struggles with mental health, not knowing how to not feel alone even if others are around, and ultimately seeking solitude in an environment that is also crumbling in its own way. I strongly urge those of you who are not familiar with the work of Liam Armstrong to check out what he’s doing as skipperwizard. “wizard I” was seriously such a strong and fitting release to start out the new year. You can also find Armstrong putting out music as Weeping Cedars, and playing guitar and doing occasional vocals in the upcoming shoegaze band, she’s green, based out of Minneapolis.
Update: This project will be re-released under the name Weeping Cedars. The project has been removed from most streaming services.
