The Fine Arts Showcase - Dolophine smile
(Adrian Recordings)

As if it had not been obvious since this album was in the process, its impending release was instantly one of the most anticipated events of the year over here at IAT!. Yes, our expectations were high, and based on the three prior albums by The Fine Arts Showcase (including the Rough Bunnies interpretations) -- how could they not be? Gustaf Kjellvander has, under this moniker, established himself as one of the most consistent song craftsmen around, and with this landmark album narrating the breakdown of not only his relationship but psychological state, succeeds beyond the lofty expectation and standards already in place. The narration he gives us is honest, and more importantly, so balanced and self-aware of his vices and the role his actions played in his downfall -- what he conveys on "Dolophine smile" is something few modern albums contain: compassion. Listening to this album I feel as if I am there with Gustaf and Hannah, not as a voyeur but as a ghost, that same ghost that has been haunting Gustaf.
- Matt Giordano