Last updated on January 5, 2018
Paper Canoe Company‘s Beanstalk Jack is an adventurous, ambitious work. It’s a concept album about the fairy tale of Jack and the Beanstalk. It’s pitched as a kid’s album (as a concept album about a fairy tale might be), but it’s a complex piece of work that transcends that pigeonholing. The band isn’t afraid to indulge all their ideas, as this album is 16 songs long. In short, Paper Canoe Company threw out all the rules and just made what they wanted. As a result of all these things, the album is a rewarding, engaging listen.
Starting from a grounding of acoustic folk (“Daydream”), Paper Canoe Company expands outwards in all directions: the title track and “Let Me Be” have zydeco flair via accordion inclusion, “Bestest Bargain” evokes the Simon & Garfunkel folk of “Scarborough Faire,” “Lucky Jack” is a hoedown, and “Fee Fi Fo Fum” is a Tom Waits-ian dirge. “All The Pretty Things” sounds like a dreamy ’70s pop cut, even. I won’t spoil all the surprises–there are tons, and they are fun to hear.
These tunes each serve a role in the narrative, but these aren’t showtunes–the closest the band comes is in the major/minor fluctuations and soaring vocal lines of “Look At Us Now,” where upbeat Jack tries to convince his downcast mother that the beans are actually valuable. I had a blast listening to this record–the diversity of musical styles made me think of Fountains of Wayne’s fantastic Welcome Interstate Managers. The many vocal performances throughout range from exuberantly fun to downright impressive, as well. If you’re looking for a fun record for anyone (or, I suppose, kids–the intended audience), Beanstalk Jack is a surprisingly good pickup.