Floating Action, Desert Etiquette

By Less Lee Moore

Although the name Floating Action is derived from a vintage Gretsch drum pedal, it’s perfect metaphor for multi-instrumentalist singer/songwriter Seth Kauffman’s latest release. Desert Etiquette‘s ten twangy, trebly tunes are like sugar crystals floating on a stream of golden honey, dewdrops sparkling in the sunrise of a chilly spring morning, or the embers flaring from a campfire in the clearing of the dark, snowy forest. Everything is as natural and comfortable as being outdoors.

Listeners might be surprised to find out, then, that the entirety of the album was recorded by Kauffman himself (save one pedal steel track in the last song). In fact, Desert Etiquette has the feeling of a live band playing. This unrefined quality is due in part to the songwriting and recording process; according to the press release, Kauffman “wrote the lyrics . . . in two days, then recorded the album over a concentrated period of 48 total hours.”

The aura of Desert Etiquette is a microcosmic one, and while its same-ness might seem claustrophobic at first, closer attention reveals compelling idiosyncrasies. Kauffman’s mastery at creating guitar textures draws one in and his superlative percussion holds you there, as his plaintive vocals flow in and around. To quote the song “Well Hidden,” “the balance keeps it from breaking.” Kauffman has a remarkable gift for creating layers that are both spacious and dense. At times you can even hear the slight exhalation of the amps.

The vocal melody of opening track “Well Hidden” is introduced by a slide guitar and sitar until Kauffman’s voice joins in, and his judicious use of multi-tracked harmonies (here and elsewhere) is gorgeous indeed. This minimalist, almost repetitive feel is continued on “In The Mud,” until the percussion begins, a marvelous counterpoint to the woozy vocals. The song structure is a bit more traditional here, and even more so in “The Balance” which begins with beautiful guitar reverb and a bass fragment reminiscent of the one in The Beatles’ “Sun King.”

The Beatles influence persists somewhat in “Rincon,” which sounds like a modern cover of a ’60s-style pop tune. The word “rincon,” according to Wikipedia, is the Spanish word for “corner,” and refers to either a meadow, an “abandoned meander,” or “a surf spot located at the Ventura and Santa Barbara County line,” all of which can be pictured vividly when listening to the song.

“Robespierre” pushes the tone into more soulful, New Orleans funk territory with a bass and synth groove that is fairly infectious; ditto for “Please Reveal,” which indeed reveals Kauffman’s skills in creating beats that you can’t help but move your body to, but that owe nothing to modern dance music.

“Modern Gunslinger” opens with a kalimba and then adds crunchy guitar; these meld together but also create a wonderful texture. There is more delightful percussion in the ’70s soul vibe of “Eye Of A Needle,” with its jazzy drums and timpani and what sounds like a typewriter carriage return.

But then those wisps of conventional arrangement are briefly interrupted by the aptly named, meandering “Ambientador,” which gives the impression of a boat on the waves and lyrically does seem to be about sailing, until it turns into something sonically different, the entire song held together by the simple strength of a slight guitar melody. The album ends with “Rogue River,” which boasts hints of the classic sound of The Meters and is impossible not to enjoy.

Fans of Beck’s early albums, Dinosaur, Jr., or even Beechwood Sparks will find much to praise in Desert Etiquette although in truth, it is nothing like any of those artists. Seth Kauffman’s style is all his own, and its manifestation on Desert Etiquette makes it an album that grows more pleasurable with each listen.

Desert Etiquette was released by Park The Van Records on February 22. You can listen to and download both “Well Hidden” and “Eye Of A Needle,” as well as order the album, on the label’s website. Kauffman will be touring throughout February and March, starting February 28 at the Hi-Dive in Denver, CO; check here for a full list of tour dates.