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Weapons of Minor Disruption: “The Shoreline Sessions” is often the perfect combination of high art and low art

“The Shoreline Sessions” is a stripped-down alt-rock EP recorded with classical guitar, bass, a hand drum, tambourine, toy maraca, a synthesizer smartphone app and vocals. It is the first official release from Weapons of Minor Disruption. Recorded at Robert Lang Studios in Shoreline, WA, the EP and a short film featuring music videos for all five songs will be available everywhere online on January 8, 2016. The line between originality and over indulgence is of course a thin one but in Weapons of Minor Disruption’s case his ability to make his music soar is the special ingredient.

“The Shoreline Sessions” is fuller of ideas, pathos, experimentation and yes, compact brevity, than most releases nowadays. Not one song out of the 5 reaches the 3-minute mark and hardly any surpass 2 and-a-half minutes. That on its own is a rare achievement indeed. Like anything really good, you might not be sure you like this EP at first, but it gets better with each listen. WoMD may be in “acquired taste” territory for some, but if you like freaked-out folk-rock or any of their modern alternative indie descendants, you should check this out.

WoMD-coverWeapons of Minor Disruption’s music, is often the perfect combination of high art and low art, merging the warmth of folk music with the spacey atmosphere of psychedelic elements. WoMD has purposefully mod-podged a variety of eclectic sounds together to make for a harmonically intriguing EP. It draws your attention because every track does not possess a seamless transition. The lyrical content does not leave room for want either. There is depth and dark humor lacing the tracks. Sure his got his head in the clouds, but he is likewise grounded. His sound goes back to the basics, and by so doing, is able to support the lofty harmonics, weaving rounds, and ambitious compositions.

WoMD’s music doesn’t translate easily to the iTunes distribution method of “Here’s a track, listen for 30 seconds and see if you like it”. The EP really becomes much stronger when you play it from front to back. That being said, tell one of your doubting friends to listen to “Along the Spiral” or “A Live One” and see if they don’t love it right away. For those who haven’t heard Weapons of Minor Disruption, the focal point has to be the mellow, offbeat, slow-burn vocal harmonizing. But there are sneaky bits to the musicality, such as the clever, understated use of acoustic guitars that really make this an excellent project. WoMD’s lyrics have a post-modern, non-linear quality; at once, poetic and open to interpretation. While his lyrics typically lead in a direction, there is enough openness in them that you can apply them to your own experiences.

WoMD doesn’t seem to be moved by the pull of awards, hype or even critics. He remains rooted in his sound and in his tie to both the physical and metaphysical; his authenticity breaths through the melodies, lyrics and vocal approach. “The Shoreline Sessions” embodies that direct sound that reaches into your heart and soul, and connects.

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