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Mitchell Sumner, “Can You Cee”

Mitchell Sumner’s debut album, Jip Opus, is a dreamy, evocative foray into psychedelic pop that could convince most listeners they were living in the 1960s. Though Jip Opus features just seven songs, it is a richly vibrant collection of music that flows seamlessly from track to track.

Jip Opus is an impressive and enjoyable work regardless of who may be responsible for it, but it may be even more astounding to learn that Sumner is responsible for every sound on the album. These sounds include, but are not limited to, acoustic and electric guitar, bass guitar, piano, keyboard, drums, vocals, and harmonies.

The songs are both nostalgic and commanding, touching on an array of relatable human issues, both light and heavy, but always meaningful. Sumner’s lyrics are commendable, almost always falling into practically perfect rhyme schemes. The production quality of Jip Opus is pristine, reflecting well on both Sumner and the Portland, Oregon recording studio, Klickitat Band Camp, where Sumner laid down the tracks of Jip Opus.

The obvious standout track is the eight-minute-long “Doos and Dahs,” an epic, strikingly sincere exploration of life after the death of a best friend. The first verse contains the uniquely worded sentiment, “When I think about where I’ve been the most, conversing with a newly-friended ghost / Yeah, three cheers for the life, let’s forget the strife.” From there, Sumner dives into a beautifully haunting examination of life, death, and the complexities in between. “Doos and Dahs” is layered with distant, reverberating harmonies and features extended, evocative jams on the piano and drums.

The album ends with a high-energy tune called “Making Me Pale,” in which musical chaos gains great momentum as Sumner repeatedly wails, “go out and play!” With that, the album ends as sensationally as it began.

Sumner, at just 21 years old, displays musical brilliance and the wisdom of a seasoned songwriter. He recently moved to the thriving beatnik town of Eugene, Oregon to spend more time writing music and play occasional house shows for the local college crowd. Although Sumner has typically been secretive about his musical endeavors (he has been playing guitar since 2002, but did not reveal his talents to friends until 2006), he has revealed that he plans on recording another album in summer 2010.

Jip Opus is available to purchase as a CD or mp3 download at CD Baby.
More of Sumner’s music is available online on Myspace or Facebook.