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OK, I admit it.  I'm old.  I don't get the whole "freak folk," pop noise, poetry blurb, one verse, thirty second school of songwriting.  To me, almost everything in this genre falls into the category of unfinished, incoherent ramblings of indie kids with Tourette's Syndrome, recording their every thought.

Now, there are exceptions to every rule.  Sufjan Stevens immediately comes to mind.  John Ringhofer, a member of Sufjan's Illinoisemaker band, writes and performs music under the pseudonym Half-Handed Cloud.  And after reviewing three of his discs, I am convinced that John Ringhofer has the capacity to lead the freak folkers out of the wilderness, and into melody.

With Halos & Lassos,  Half-Handed Cloud once again exhibits his vocal talents, falling somewhere between Brian Wilson, and a hesitant version of Paul Simon.  "Earth Outside of Ghost Will Only Be Quicksand" features a syncopated organ somewhat in the vein of your local mall music store, yet it works.  "Tongues that Possess the Earth Instead" is a Beach Boys style number backed by bells.  "Suit of Clouds to Ride to Skies" is a genius work of harmonies and repeated choruses.

"In You Now, But Still Below" is a '70's pop tune, while "Eyes Peeled" features noises from the TV show The Munsters mashed up with banjo!  "They're Bad But We're Worse" carries the disc to a whole new level of excellence.

The only problem with this disc is a familiar one: with nineteen songs in just under a half hour, songs tend to bleed together if you're not paying attention, and it requires multiple listens to catch Ringhofer's subtleties.  The good news if that the effort is well worth it.

Brian A. Smith
25 January 2006