Combining original songs and bright arrangements,
Shotgun Honeymoon enters the crowded pop/rock field with
Foregone Conclusion. Perhaps the oddest thing about
Shotgun Honeymoon is that he, unlike, say,
Jethro Tull, is an individual, not a group. Interestingly, while one might define the music on
Foregone Conclusion as pop or pop/rock, the arrangements are dominated by acoustic guitars, cellos, violins, pianos, and mandolins. Yes, an occasional drum, trumpet, and Wurly track enters the mix, but overall, the acoustic elements stand out most heavily. While
Shotgun Honeymoon has a gift for arrangements, there are certain touches in the production of
Foregone Conclusion that distract from the music at hand. On "Beginning of the End," an insistent sweeping sound on the right channel is more likely to pull the listener out of the moment than enhance the track's sonic field. This leads one to ask whether the scratchy interference on "Labels of Blues" is an aural effect or accidental. And while the instrumental mix is frequently sonically pleasing on the album, it can become too busy on a song like "13."
Foregone Conclusion offers an intriguing mix of pop songs and acoustic arrangements along with production oddities that will please a number of pop/rock fans while driving audiophiles to distraction. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.