Final Fantasy - “He Poos Clouds” (2006)
review by S. James Curtis
http://www.myspace.com/brilliantvoid

“He Poos Clouds”, the second album from Owen Pallet (Arcade Fire, Hidden Cameras) under the monker of Final Fantasy is both more musically complex than his first record (Has A Good Home) and is a far more accessible record. If you thought Has A Good Home was an easy listen, He Poos Clouds will be like putting on a fine suit or, more appropriately, costume. The songs take their inspriations from the eight schools of magic in the Dungeons And Dragons series and Owen plays them like a gay male Kate Bush. Of course, instead of a looping pedal he's got a full string section to back him up this time. This is chamber pop at its finest. Like with his first record, Pallet takes the role of storyteller with a deft, clever approach. While he does share a certain empathy with the cast on his album,you can easily tell when he's smiling like a devilish imp. Take "This Lamb Sells Condos" - a song which deserves to be a single that draws a link to condo development and impotence. Of course, he switches gears in "I'm Afraid Of Japan" where he plays real life homosexual, fascist Japanese author Yukio Mishima in the moments before his suicide. The weight and empathy from that track is then relieved by the positively giddy "Song Song Song" and the short, tense "Many Lives -> 49 MP". The whole thing ends with slow, beautiful plodder "The Pooka Sings". This album is easily one of the best of 2006. So do not resist, just go, get it and let it enrich your ears at any time of day, night, season, etc.