Chicago’s eccentric musician Sacha Mullin is back with his third solo release, “Casino Wilderness Period.” The album consists of eight art-pop tracks that are wonderfully unique and catchy. The songs are reminiscent of show tunes and music that all belong in film and on stage. Mullin’s distinctive songwriting and innate talent for creating a memorable melody make him someone to look out for.
“Casino Wilderness Period” is Mullin’s third solo release after two albums of critical acclaim on outlets such as The Wire, BBC6, Chicago Reader, Big Takeover, etc.) and is only guaranteed to make more headway with this recent album. Mullin’s music is a quirky mix of jazz, rock, art-pop, R&B, and many more. Because of this, the album never gets boring or stagnant, as there is always something new around the corner.
The album starts strong with “Arranging Flowers” and continues to push boundaries within the genre throughout. Tracks like “Telepathy” are full-on R&B tunes with jazzy guitars, drums, and mesmerizing backing vocals. Songs that are much more like romantic ballads include “Waves” and “Neptune in the Snow,” which showcase Mullin’s undeniable vocal range. A personal favorite, “Margaret,” honestly sounds like it belongs in a musical. The album ends with a beautiful piano-forward song, “Window Out,” a flawless conclusion to a remarkable album.
As mentioned earlier, “Casino Wilderness Period” features impressive backing vocals. These are from industry heavyweights Emily Bindiger (Leonard Cohen), Judi Vinar (Bobby McFerrin), Annmarie Cullen (Mackenzie Phillips), and Mem Nahadr (Yoko Kanno). Championed by the late Julee Cruise, Mullin is a beloved artist in Chicago and, with this album, will bring more fans from all around the world.
“Casino Wilderness Period” is brought to you by Dog & Pony Records in collaboration with Dipterid Records. It was produced by Todd Rittmann (Drag City’s U.S. Maple and Dead Rider). The album is now available in most physical and digital formats. Do yourself a favor and stream today!
Written by Melissa Cusano
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