FEAR DRAWS MISFORTUNE

When I think that I just listened to this album for the first time two days ago, I find it somewhat stunning, because already this album has become a favorite of 2009 for me. (Yeah, I'm still a month or two behind - what's your point? :)

It starts off in a way that I don't particularly like - off-key sounding guitars, joined by a couple other off sounding instruments. But I find that these sounds are common to the genre, and if you just deal with them, they usually combine in such a way that sounds surprisingly excellent. And on Sun Dies, by the time the vocals start up, my theory has been proven true. The guitars, horns, and all the other instruments combine in a way that is much more than the sum of their parts. From that point on, I like to liken this kind of music to ear candy. It's one interesting, sweet, catchy sound after another.

For sure, the idea of music in this album is different than what one would expect if they were listening to a Yes album. There's a lot more dissonance, a lot more abrupt sounds, the flow is a lot more jagged. (That's the best word I can think of to describe it, anyways). By the time that they reprise the vocals on Sun Dies, you actually think that you are listening to a different song - yet that somehow makes it more powerful!

The next two tracks don't really have as strong of identities of their own, because although the flow is jagged on this album, it is still there, and these songs flow so naturally from Sun Dies that they sound like just another instrumental section of the song. (For sure, on this album, having a song with parts as varied as these two are is not uncommon). Of the two, And Then You Realise You Haven't Left Yet is the better, but each is an excellent little sound byte.

Then comes Blue Cheadle. This song has some sort of underlying beat that works so strangely well with the music overtop that I can't help but be pumped up by it. Even the chanting vocals of "Blue Cheadle" (what is a Cheadle anyways? I should google it) somehow seem fully charged.

Disenchantment contains some interesting rhythm section in the front half and some very effective female vocals in the second half.

The Carnal, Garish City has an excellent dark open that sounds exactly like the name implies it should, although it does change somewhat halfway through (including Magma-like female vocals!? !).

The vocals in "According to the Spire" overlaid on top of the pulsating piano are also quite excellent. I love the way that the background is quick and repetitive, while the vocals are long and drawn. This is also the song where the albums title came from.

Humanizing the Distance is full of great sounds, but if I have to point out one song on this album that somehow manages to be strangely beautiful, it is Your Weak Heart. The vocals at the beginning and end are so full of emotion that is stunning, bringing a huge human element to this song that is otherwise full of instrumental moments that are as great as anything else on the album.

My favorite part of this album? Unlike some albums, where you can't wait for certain songs to start playing, in this album each song is a gem, and so I get a boost of excitement each time a new track starts playing. Truly excellent music by truly gifted musicians.