Martin Rivas – Reliquary

Listen While You Read

The Pros

This is the fifth studio release for New York City-based singer/songwriter, Martin Rivas. Despite that being true, this was my first encounter with his unique blend of sincerity and quirkiness. Reliquary is a diverse mixture of musical tones and influences. It wanders between upbeat howling stripped down melodies seamlessly as it goes along.

The album opens with the energetic “C’mon While We’re Young”, a thouroughly enjoyable call to action. It represent one of the few tracks on the album that least displays Rivas’s unique brand eccentricity. Any confusion about what kind of artist you are dealing with is cleared up by the distorted track that follows, “Drumset, AM Radio, Tears”. Things shift again with Track 3, “Your Heart Will Be Broken”, which possesses a kind of retro-pop whimsicality that is sure to leave you with a smile on your face. The tempo drops further with the stripped down honesty of “The Brooklyn Accent”. If there was ever a question of Martin’s sincerity, it is completely removed now. You can almost feel the tears swelling up in his voice as the track progresses. The pop-friendly “No One Knows Me” (embedded above) hits the needle next. The album progresses through its second act with the same honesty and peculiarity you find earlier on. The track closes with the ambient bliss of “Believe in Love”.

The Cons

While I find it irressistable, the afore mentioned quirkiness may be too much for some to handle. Unfortuantely there is a good chance that tracks like “Meet Your Father” may turn people off before they really get to know what Martin Riva’s music is all about. In the context of the style and flow of the album it makes perfect since but I can’t see it winning over any new fans.

The Verdict

For those that appreciate individuality in music Reliquary is a winner. If you’re looking for straightforward genre constrained music Martin Rivas may not be for you. At the end of the day his music just isn’t for everyone but it did give me an enjoyable ride. While it’s not the best thing I’ve heard all year it’s definitely worth a listen.

You can Pre-order Reliquary today on Amazon. The album is out July 10th.