Local Review: Joseph Michael Pedersen – Man at the Devil’s Left Hand

Joseph Michael Pedersen
Man at the Devil’s Left Hand

Self-Released
Streets: 08.29.2016
Joseph Michael Pedersen = Ducktails + Real Estate + Modest Mouse

With an extremely mellow sound, Joseph Michael Pedersen evokes a delightfully complex feel-good vibe with his album Man at the Devil’s Left Hand. The album struts in with quick guitar strumming and a funky pairing of bass and guitar—add a light distortion to Joseph Michael Pedersen’s vocal, and you have a delightful intro from the track “Oquirrh.” This album will take you from the slow to the upbeat while still maintaining an almost beachy, laid-back vibe. The title track contains a beautifully simple guitar sequence, with slow thumping percussions and vocals that are hauntingly distant, creating a mysterious, yet cheery marriage. I can’t help but find similarities to acts like Modest Mouse in the sound of the guitar that’s paired with lively and creative drumbeats. Tracks like “A Careful Knife” leave an impact with its danceable instrumentals and Pedersen’s soothing vocals, creating a whirling track that does not want to stop. The album closes off with “So few words” which features ripping distorted guitar and vocals that send the album off with some power. Man at the Devil’s Left Hand is a fun, feel-good album that goes amazingly with sunny weekend get-together or a stop by your local thrift store. With this being his first album, I am excited to see what the future holds for Joseph, as rarely do I hear the indie-rock genre get broken down in such a beautiful way. If you are looking for that perfect summertime album, you can find Man at the Devil’s Left Hand on Spotify or Pedersen’s Bandcamp page josephmichaelpedersen.bandcamp.com/releases. –Connor Brady