When the foghorn wails of bedroom recordings and acoustic magnetic tape mastery capture the playful splash and marooned soulfulness of Brinhaum’s exquisite compositios, you can’t help but drift along with the seaweed music. Johnny Cash sad laced wisdom rides out “Of Cowboys & Other Beautiful Men” while triumphant Neutral Milk Hotel trumpets pleasantly surprise. When Gabriel Birnbaum sings “If I was a better man, I would love you like you deserve,” all your ex-boyfriend melodrama’s will melt away. The slow baritone build up on “Reasons” reminds of a placid Leonard Cohen montage homage, culminating in a classic rock explosion of distortions and treble-ful rifts. The most forgettable or fast forwarded track, “City Kids” threatens to weight the album down with its sugar candy pop. But, surprisingly it’s the only song on the album I wouldn’t place on a mix for a friend. Falling in line with the sea-pop of Seapony and Tennis, Birnhaum offers more Nat Baldwin and  Andrew Bird mellow bellows.

The elegantly church “Diamond Night”  hails abstractions and calm invitations, like holy orations. Rainy day trumpets start of “Can’t Concentrate,” as Birnbaum’s drum roll voice brings in the the crashing tide and long lost sea boat. “Love Letter” gives a tidal wave of recurring climaxes, and orgasmic rock n roll guitar solos against Godspeed You! Black Emperor experimentation. “The Snow Speaks,” leaves you standing, shivering at a Chicago bus stop watching the snow and being reminded, despite the blistering callus of life, the cold wet socks you’ll peel off once you get home, the snow still falls beautifully. Despite life’s slush and muck there is repose. Quite possibly the most exuberant track on an otherwise extraordinary album, “The Snow Speaks” is sure to climb the indie charts, if their was such a thing. “Under the Sea” little mermaid pop hits in line with Birnbaum’s maritime theme, “Sha La La,” but again threatens to sink the coast treading, home-bound ship. Meanwhile, title track “God Bless the Hunger”  crescendos constant and dissonant avant folk-jazz.

Plug your headphones in for a long night of love making and sweaty soul and download Boy Without God’s new album God Bless The Hunger right here.