Art Schop made an album about Ludwig Wittgenstein. Not inspired by him, not loosely themed around him. Actually, about him. The philosopher. And here’s the thing: it works.
Art Schop sits somewhere in the same neighborhood as Bill Callahan and Father John Misty, which means his songs have that particular quality of being easy to follow and kind of hard to shake. There’s folk rock underneath everything, but it’s the kind that doesn’t announce itself. The dark edges are there, but the record never tips into gloom. There’s actual wit in here, dry and quiet, the kind that catches you a beat late.
Tackling Wittgenstein as subject matter is a genuinely weird choice, and the album is better for it. Philosophy as folk concept album sounds like it should be a slog. Art Schop keeps it personal enough that you don’t need a reading list to get something out of it. That said, if you’ve spent any time with Wittgenstein’s writing, there are moments that hit differently. The ones that got my attention are “The Only Answer” and “Full Stop”.
It’s one of those records that rewards a few listens. Give it a proper sit-down, not background noise. And go follow Art Schop on Instagram.
Follow Art Schop: Instagram – Spotify
