Today's Review: Farewell My Little Viking by Wizard of Loneliness
I am not a musician. Nor am I informed about music. I just like to listen to it. Keep that in mind as I struggle to describe my thoughts on this review of Farewell My Little Viking by Wizard of Loneliness.
I love it.
Alright! Review over! Pack it up, everyone. We're done here.
I do very much enjoy this album. I found it while browsing Bandcamp's vaporwave section. Once I spotted Little Pete's face, I knew it was going to be a winner.
The album's tone and inspiration comes from the early 90s Nickelodeon show, The Adventures of Pete and Pete. It is about two brothers, who are both named Pete, and their adventures in their hometown of Wellsville. Big Pete would narrate the bizarre and surreal events as if these were just every day occurrences. The tone of the show is very mellow, even in the tenser moments.
The album takes its music in the same direction. Various moods play out, but it's all very mellow. Samples from the show are used, and the accompanying music feels right as if it could be in the show. Which is interesting considering the music for the show was primarily rock music by the band Polaris.
If you've listened to vaporwave before, the album will feel pretty familiar in terms of how it's put together. It's very sample heavy, and it manipulates and stretches those samples to give a dream-like quality. Let's take a look at a few of my favorite songs:
“m a r m a l a d e c r e a m” is about Little Pete's apathy towards music from the episode “Hard Day's Pete”. It starts with an intro from the episode and Little Pete's pirate radio station using a high-powered walkie-talkie. The song then meanders through a simple jazz-y tune until it ends with a dejected Little Pete trying to remember a song he had heard.
“f i e l d o f p e t e” feels like a fun, summer-y song. Something I would listen to while driving on a road trip.
“F a r e w e l l M y L i t t l e V i k i n g” is a somber tune. It takes its tone from the episode of the same name where Artie, the strongest man... in the world, is disposed of by the International Adult Conspiracy. Eventually he is saved by Little Pete, but he decides to leave of his own, realizing that Little Pete has learned everything he needs from Artie.
“M o m ' s P l a t e” is an atmospheric tune. Like a morning song on a spring or summer day.
Overall, the album is a very calming listen, and I enjoy hearing it while I work. You should give it a listen too.