ABOUT TESS

The album starts off with 'Beginning From Decision' which immediately shows the band has changed their sound, coming off much deeper in the post rock than the math rock end. At about 3:00 we get some familiar instrumentation styles but it's in a much more reserved fashion comparatively. At 3:30 we get another slight change, and there begins to be a slight funk influence. We can see the melody warp and develop as the clock runs on this song, this is fantastic stuff, such subtle and interesting changes that you really have to listen just to hear what these guys are doing. A subtle style change at about 6:00 keeps this song rolling along just fine, changing ever so slightly until a big change at 7:12 throws the album off into a solo driven post-rock tangent. I'm not complaining. 10 minutes in and we're thrown back into the intricate instrumentation that is expected from 'About Tess'. 14:10 brings my favorite moment of the track, with some fantastic guitar playing upfront and bass pounding along in the background, really nice stuff. The spoken word passage at the end of song doesn't do much for me, but the music accompanying it sure sounds nice.

'Requiem' starts off funky and nice, a real groovy beat to get into. About a minute and a half in, it throws a guitar passage at you that feels just a bit too much like noise for my liking but, is all the means well played (very 'Animals as Leaders'y). The song really starts rocking shortly after that, And then, goes into an absolutely gorgeous melody with soft guitars that gently sweep along... This is absolutely stunning stuff. You begin to here some more funk influenced bass with flying arpeggio's back and forth on the guitar (and maybe keyboards). Then it begins to get heavier, the guitars are pounding with a light (also guitar) playing lightly in the background, holy cow this is great. It settles back down at 4:00 minutes (so little time has passed and so much has happened in this song) and gives the listener a nice break. A subtle change a minute and a half later takes this song to a whole new level, this is beautiful! Another minute and a half and the melody just seems to melt in front of you, this is so fluid and relaxed, to think, just 3 minutes earlier these guys were pounding into your ears. A beautiful guitar solo follows a spoken word passage. At 10:05 the music music begins to build again as pounding bass and drums take the song to louder levels while the guitar gently sweeps along. At 12 minutes, the drums bring back the riffs loud and heavy, distorted guitar dominates this section with some pounding guitar and bass in the background as well as some very intricate drumwork (hidden behind all of that lovely lovely noise). At about 14:10 all of this stops and were led into a funky riff that turns quite spacey. The music picks up again towards the end, and gets much much heavier. Sweeping guitar solos dominate this section (perhaps a bit too much) and bring the song its close... A fantastic track!

'Somewhere or Nothing' continues where 'Requiem' left off and leads into a relaxed and calm atmosphere... relaxing, almost hypnotic. At about 3:40 though the song comes crashing forward with distorted guitars. before turning much more experimental about a minute and a half later. The song gradually eases back into a relaxed beat, with some absolutely gorgeous harmonies. Pounding bass soon builds to move the song forward, and, after some crashing drums we fall into yet another beautiful melody. Some fantastic drumwork throughout this song thus far. The sound continues to build and build and the pounding guitars and bass come back after a while, some interspersed guitar solos keep this section from growing stale in all the pounding instruments in the background, a real 'Wall of Sound' that continues throughout the song.

'Phantom of the Bird' begins nicely before some absolutely stunning guitar work takes over. The song is primarily post-rock from thereon out, but with some beautiful guitar work interspersed throughout. The song ends in a flare of instrumentation springing up altogether, feeling quite hectic at first but really, quite calculated. A great end to a great album!

This is the kind of music that just blows you away and stops you (well me) from getting any work done as its playing because it requires just so much attention. All of the members are at the top of the form and it sounds downright wonderful even after my 8th, 9th, 10th spin... Time will see if this album passes its last test, the test of time, to get a five star review, but for now I give it a very high four stars and a strong recommendation to, well, anyone really.

4.5/5

Many reviewers have mentioned the Mars Volta but without psychadelia which works well as a description, this is math/rock on a harder edge. Despite this however, the music remains quite tuneful and even beautiful at times.

This is an immense album to get into and it can take a while to penetrate the wall of sound that these musicians create but once you do you can find a technically proficient, tuneful and cohesive release.

The album starts off heavy but it does get relaxed by the fourth song 'Sleep Snatchers' which, along with 'Imaginedit' and 'Brain Drive ~Impulse~' are my favorite songs from this cd. A lot to take in, but worth it once you do.

(4.5/5)

First of all, I was almost blown by the guitar/drums/noises attack - fast, energetic, cold and almost aggressive - there are my first impressions of this album. Excellent musicianship technique, nervous industrial sound, chaotic noises included in difficult musical structure.

Can you imagine The Mars Volta fastest and heaviest pieces played without psychedelic influences, but with cold calculated and perfectly organized extase? Then you can more or less understand, what this album is about.

After three first songs the tension decreased, sound became much more acoustic and melodic, but compositions still stayed complex. Longest album's composition " I Want to Live in All the Remaining Lives With You " has catchy ,in fact pop-song's, melody, but extremely complex and unusual drumming, changing this music to something very different.

Quite unusual, specific and interesting work. Could be interesting for wider circle of listeners, not math-rock fans only.

What more can I say besides fast paced instrumental frenzy? Oh wait, there is plenty more. The first thee songs are just a violent flurry of bass guitar and pounding drums, and like I said before, you might think it is painful now but one listen and you will be wanting more. However, Beautiful is truly a masterpiece because of it's technical progress. If you aren't a big fan of heavy, over-the-top extremes, they will take your request and tone it down for. Flip to track #4, Sleep Snatchers, and drift away in one of the best laid back, mellow openings to a Math Rock song you will probably ever here. Fast forward to the next track, I Want To Live In All Remaining Lives With You, and experience the same, yet with more chills. Hang in there until the final chapters of this song and prepare to be blown away by the most intense feedback-driven guitar playing of the decade. On the last note, you might get to the end of the album and think to yourself that you miss the old About Tess that rocked you silly in the first half of the disc, so they will come back stronger and tighter than ever on the last track, somewhat to the tune of an orchestra being conducted by a thrash metal band.

Masterpiece in the most ultimate sense of the word, and I cannot wait for album #2. Excuse my bad pun, but I Want To Live In All Remaining Lives With This Album In My Hand.

5 stars!