SOUNDTRACK: DO MAKE SAY THINK-& Yet & Yet [CST020] (2002).
After the previous album, keyboardist Jason McKenzie departed the band. I’m not entirely sure how this impacted the band, but this album is warmer and a little more delicate feeling. It’s also their first album that was recorded all in the same place (in band member Justin Small’s house).
The disc opens with static and effects before a jazzy drumbeat comes in. “Clasic Noodlanding” is mellow with a complex (for them) riff on the guitar and nice washes of keyboards. It is primarily atmospheric until about two minutes in when it suddenly changes with the introduction of a great bass line. And then this atmospheric song turns really catchy. The five and a half-minutes feel too short in this song.
“End of Music” opens with jazzy drums and keyboards. It’s a slow piece that stretches to nearly 7 minutes. About half way through the song, the drums come crashing in and a brighter, noisier melody takes over. This end section is really catchy with some great chords and excellent drumming.
“White Light Of” opens with a cool slow bass line and drum pattern. As the song grows in complexity I like the new bass rumble that is added and the way the guitar lines seem to intertwine. About half way through horns get added to the mix, quietly at first and then they slowly take over the song. About five minutes in the song comes to abrupt halt with some interesting echoed effects on the drums. It resumes again with a stranger version of the song—it feels unsettled and really interesting, with a nice riff interspersed with one that feels off somewhat.
“Chinatown” opens unlike any DMST song. The bass sounds electronic and skittery with some interesting keyboard sounds over the top (it actually sounds a bit like later period Radiohead). The song is slow and moody for all of its 5 and half minutes with keyboard washes and skittery guitars. There are quotes thrown in throughout the song but I can’t tell what they are saying. This song was features in the film Syriana.
“Reitschule” is one of two songs that are 9 minutes long. It opens with a slow meandering guitar line interspersed with another guitar playing an interesting counterpoint. A cool bassline comes in around 2:30 which takes the song in a new direction. Horns propel the song along until about 4 minutes when a jangly guitar takes over the song. It builds with some abrasive guitar chords until everything washes away except the bass. And then it rebuilds as something else. Distant horns play in the back as the guitars play overlapping lines. It’s an epic song that demonstrates how much this band can do.
“Soul and Onward” has a pretty conventional melody line. It’s warm and friendly It also features wordless vocals by Tamara Williamson. I love the little tiny guitar lick that works as a bridge between the two sections. This is my favorite song on this record.
“Anything for Now” is the other 9 minute song. It is slow and pastoral to start with a beautiful multi-guitar piece with gentle drums. At around 4:30 all the instrument vanish except for a single organ note. It plays for a bout a minute and it seems like the disc will end that way but then the chords build up again from the drone. An acoustic guitar lick begins around 7 minutes in and runs through the end of the song.
Overall this album is more mellow than their previous discs, and there are some amazingly beautiful sections of music on this album.
[READ: February 8, 2016] Above the Dreamless Dead
I’m continuing with books that I wouldn’t normally read, to celebrate First Second’s #10yearsof01 challenge and to read something out of my comfort range.
This is a collection of poetry about World War I, written before during and just after the war. Each of the poems is illustrated by a different contemporary artist.
As you can imagine, the book is pretty gloomy. But the poetry is pretty spectacular and the illustrations were really interesting. Obviously this book is not going to be a happy one. But some of the artists do add a more positive spin on the poems (while some are just brutally violent as well). (more…)
Like this:
Like Loading...
Read Full Post »
I was unfamiliar with Ice Nine Kills until my son started talking about them. Then his friend invited him to see a show at the Starland Ballroom on May 3 (Ice Nine Kills was not headlining–the lineup was Falling In Reverse, Ice Nine Kills, From Ashes to New and New Years Day). So I was a little bummed that he didn’t go to his first club show with me, but it’s much cooler that he went with his friend. He loved the show.
