IT'S NOT AS DARK AS THAT, FRIEND

After a few nice exchanges around the time they released "featherhead", Motion Theory allowed me to preview their forthcoming EP "It's not as dark as that, Friend". Indeed not as dark as it may seem, this EP does contain far from light tracks. The band have evolved since featherhead, although the influences of bands like Radiohead will likely never disappear completely - and that is not necessarily a bad thing. Of the five tracks, I like "Sure it's chaos but it's ours" best. It's a powerful track, with the kind of bass work that I can especially appreciate - being a bass player myself. The contining high not riff on the guitar (or is it a synth?) keeps your attention focussed on the track. These high notes are also present on more mellow (but far from poppy or soft) tracks "Let's pave over the sea" and Dead reckoning. At first, they seemed repetitive, but they are different in every track. So far, Motion Theory has been able to use a style element like this without falling into what I would call the 'Coldplay' trap: making the element so dominant that all songs become interchangeable. Anima is an acoustic guitar 'ballad', which doesn't seem to really fit in with the other tracks. Could be good, could be bad - a bit of contrast never hurts, but to me it's not the highlight of the EP. One thing has to be said: at some point, halfway through the song, it reminded me of a very old Caravan song of which the title keeps slipping my mind. Finally, the slowly pulsating keyboards and slow vocals on Forgotten Girl lead to a good, almost psychedelic finale to the EP. The slightly distorted guitar that plays slow, sharp edged riffs over the main melody gives the track an almost post rock feel - but could also be inspired by the likes of the Velvet Underground (hail Lou Reed). The ending is rather abrupt, but somehow that fits in nicely with the psychedelic feel of the song. Once again, a good effort by a willing band. Maybe a spot at a summer festival would allow them to get some more attention. Promotors, why aren't you looking in their direction?

P.S. Now that the album details are here: compliments for the artwork on the cover.

England's Motion Theory gained some recognition around the release of 2009's Featherhead, and their most recent EP, It's not as dark as that, Friend, will hopefully garner some additional attention within the prog rock community. Sporting a more mellow sound and generally more professional compositions than Featherhead, this five-track EP will undoubtedly impress people who enjoy melancholic progressive/alternative rock. Motion Theory just keep getting better and better, and I can't wait to hear what they have next up their sleeves!

The music here is a bit more mellow than Featherhead, but still unquestionably the work of the same band. I'm often reminded of acts like Marillion (Somewhere Else or Happiness is the Road era), Radiohead, and Muse, but Motion Theory does have their own sound and never rub off as a "clone" of any sort. There's plenty of variation that keep the EP fresh during its entire 22 minute duration, with the mellow "Dead Reckoning" and the progressive "Sure It's Chaos, But It's Ours" standing out as highlights. The professional and tasteful musicianship further emphasizes the fantastic songwriting exemplified throughout the EP. One of my only significant complaints about It's not as dark as that, Friend is that the production is a bit weak. Although certainly listenable, it does sound a bit too unpolished for the heavily atmospheric music here.

Despite my issues with the production, It's not as dark as that, Friend is generally a terrific EP from Motion Theory that I'd readily recommend to all fans of progressive/alternative rock. These guys have their own sound and a knack for creating songs that are beautiful and memorable - and, for me, that spells quality! 3.5 stars are very well-deserved here. It'll certainly be interesting to see what the future holds for this talented young act.

'It's Not As Dark As That, Friend' - Motion Theory (7/10)

Motion Theory is a band from the UK that labels their sound as 'alternative prog rock'. By that, one can assume that they are a group that aims to advance the more modern brands of rock music, rather than looking to the past, and this is something that instantly attracts me to the music of this band. Despite the relative youth of the band members, this band have already come out with a full-length debut in 'Featherhead' and a handful of shorter releases. 'It's Not As Dark As That, Friend' is the most recent outing from this group, and although Motion Theory may not have been around for so long, their skill and promise as an act shows. Although EPs usually give me a sense of sounding incomplete, I have found myself really enjoying what the band has done here. I look forward to hearing more from the band in the future.

The closest thing I would compare Motion Theory to is the American band Dredg, who similarly is rotted mainly in alternative rock, but makes use of more atmosphere and depth than you might expect from a typical rock group. Even singer Dom Main sounds very much alike the vocalist from Dredg, and I do not think this is a bad thing; Motion Theory have enough of their own charm to resist being called a soundalike. The first two songs are very much based in post-rock tinged atmosphere, with Dom's vocals brooding overtop, and one of the first things I notice with the music here is how well it is produced. Although the album does not have the consistent quality that I would expect from a more professional release, the atmosphere is really captured here, especially later on during the solemn closer 'Forgotten Girl'. Motion Theory are still unsigned, but they can produce their music quite well. The only major downshift from this sense of great recording is during the third song, which is recorded with 'live' instruments, so it is understandable why it would not be up to par with the rest, although for all intents and purposes, it still sounds fairly good. The only harm it causes is breaking the album's flow.

The songwriting here is maybe where Motion Theory shows the most promise. I would not say that any of the album's five tracks blow me away, but they leave me wanting more. There's a fair variety here, from the bass-driven rock in 'Sure It's Chaos But It's Ours' to bright post rock in the opener, and a nearly ambient finale. In total, Motion Theory has introduced themselves to me in a memorable, enjoyable, and promising fashion. 'It's Not As Dark As That, Friend' has some bumpy edges, but there's nothing here that I could really complain about. I look forward to hearing the band sharpen up their skills and continue their work, because this is very good.