ECHOLYN

New ECHOLYN album, I confess that I know very little about the band, I do know their classic album Mei (2002) and I like a lot their second one Suffocating The Bloom (1992). But my knowledge of this American band pretty much ends here.

I've been following reviews lately for most of known bands, and this one has divided opinions. Maybe that's why I would avoid the album a bit. Echolyn (2012) was released in June and it's their first record in 7 years, pretty much the fans thought the band was dead. Maybe they had decided to break and felt that was not the right decision, I don't know. Maybe some techincal difficulties, cause it seems the album has being recorded since 2007.

When it comes to the packaging in Echolyn (2012) I have to say that I really don't like it and don't understand the band's decision of a double album when it could be easily fitted into a single CD. The LP edition would be double anyway they didn't need to do the same on the CD, the price is likely to go higher that way, for everyone. Anyway, 70 minutes is always too much for me, I don't like long albums and prefer the old school 45/50 minutes of music. Maybe the intention was to impress, because double albums always impress...

Talking about the music, when the album begans I felt SPOCK's BEARD, especially in the synths riffs, but was just a small impression, I liked the general feeling of the keyboards that Chris Buzby delivers, lots of sounds going on and I like it. Another good point in the album: Tom Hyatt bass in the first track. I just love this kind of sound he has got, unfortunatelly isn't like that on the whole album. As soon as Ray Weston starts to sing you notice the personality of the band, then you can actually 'see' ECHOLYN and the melodies are beautiful most of the time.

Have to say that 'Headright', the second track, sounds to me as a unfinished piece of music, when it's coming to the best bit and you're now excited about, it's gone, I actually had to listen to it twice and try to understand. Weird.

The disc 1 ends pretty well but I can't say that's the most amazing album I've heard this year yet.

Soon after the first track of the second disc started I realized that is already too 'slow' for me, pretty much the band is playing a lot of ballads on Echolyn (2012), and it makes me a bit bothered. They are pretty and nice, but too much of them, not what I was expecting. Tough the final part of 'When Sunday Spills'is energetic the following tracks '(Speaking in) Lampblack' is even more calm and laid back, with String quartet and all, at this time I'm already tired of the album. Just at the final track they have a bit more 'rocking' going on, but maybe it's a bit late to me.

Speaking in general, Echolyn (2012) is a good album, but for me lacks unity, is a bit long, and like I said, too melow. The key tracks are the, strategically placed, the first 'Island' and the last 'The Cardinal And I. This is the ECHOLYN I like.

3.5 stars