Puf, real name Michael Pufnock, is a Cleveland, USA-based artist who has just caught my attention thanks to his unconventional new album Motor Underwater.
By Graeme Smith
Feature artwork by Alyssa Schaefer
Michael says the album is “about the places I lived and the cars I was scared to drive in my 20s” and it’s this kind of vulnerable, autobiographical detail you get from its nine, quick-fire tracks. Many of the songs come in at under two minutes long, and the overall listening time of the album is just over 25 minutes, but there’s a lot packed into it, starting with the raw and bluesy Survival. It slowly simmers, painting a vivid picture with its lyrics, before building to an epic indie rock crescendo. It’s a strong start.
Washington has an emotional groove created by looping guitar and lively percussion that contrasts the melancholy of the vocals. Cudell is enticingly intimate with murmured lyrics and atmospheric instrumentals. West is a brighter moment, with an expansive sound that belies its short runtime. It bleeds seamlessly into Stressed which sits at the heart of the album providing a bittersweet highpoint.
Button introduces a little folk and country to proceedings. Getting Late opens stripped-back and confessional before exploding with catharsis. Title track Motor Underwater gives us a slow and reflective highlight before Things closes the album with an experimental, ambient vignette.
Puf is a man who lets his music do the talking for him. He’s embraced the DIY rock sound that’s been perfected in the States, adding to its rich canon with this new collection. If you’re a fan of Broken Social Scene, Pavement, No Age, and their ilk you’re going to find a lot to love about Motor Underwater.
The album was written and performed by Michael Pufnock, and engineered, mixed and mastered by Joe Todaro. You can check it out below.