Sometimes, life calls for slow, melodic theme music to accompany you along your days — the key word being sometimes.
The union of Alasdair MacLean (of the band The Clientele) and Lupe Nunez-Fernandez (of Pipas) is both promising and experimental. On Tuesday, the burgeoning new group Amor de Dias released its debut record, “Street of the Love of Days,” in the U.S. under Merge Records.
The pair, who will visit Carrboro’s ArtsCenter today at 8 p.m. on tour with the folk-rock duo of Damon and Naomi, look to bring their interesting sound with them.
The European influence in Amor de Dias’ music is easily identifiable through the vast majority of the 15 tracks of “Street of the Love of Days.”
Utilizing a beautifully orchestrated set of instruments ranging from harps to recorders, the pair captures an essence of eerie peacefulness that has become a rarity in the modern music scene. The phenomenon can best be heard in the album’s opening song, “Foxes.”
The first track is carried by a coupling of harp and piano, creating a lulling harmony. Near the end of the track, Nunez-Fernandez makes her first appearance on the album with deep, whispering vocals.
The slow pace of “Foxes” is a precursor of more to come, which isn’t necessarily a good thing for this album. The music will be either hit or miss for listeners.
The bilingual capabilities of Nunez-Fernandez give the album a sense of diversity, as seen in the song “Late Mornings,” which is one of the more upbeat numbers on the track list. The band could have improved the album by featuring more tracks like “Late Mornings” or the album’s title track, “Street of the Love of Days.”
The two members alternate on vocals; MacLean provides heavy contributions on some songs, while Nunez-Fernandez takes the helm on others. A majority of the songs featuring MacLean sound like something on a movie soundtrack, particularly during a rainy-day scene.
