#7 Owen Pallett - Q's Top 20 Albums of 2014
We loop Owen Pallett in to the top 20 countdown for In Conflict.
Our countdown of the Top 20 albums of 2014 continues with Owen Pallett and his 2014 record, In Conflict.
Pallett is known for his single-handed construction of synth and string epics, often used as vehicles for narrative storytelling. On his latest release, he lets collaborators in like never before, and presents his least-veiled work to date.
- Related: Owen Pallett premieres rare version of I Am Not Afraid (please note: post features archival video)
In Conflict is a check-yourself record that confronts aging, expectation, raw human passion, and just how the hell he got here, all with a close-cutting sense of presence. The themes are real and immediate, and the album has sonic focus to match.
It's the sound of an artist who's grown to understand himself -- and isn't shy to let others know it, however unflattering.