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Review by
snobb
Special Collaborator Jazz Rock/Fusion
Debut band's EP is good enough for debut and contains all useful style's attributes:
energetic melodic (and often aggressive) guitar sound, some repetitive musical structures
and even metal drive. As characteristic for US post-rock bands, they play heavier and much
more energetic music, then their European (Nordic?) colleagues. So, music has less
nuances, but is much more rock. Usual problem is the same as with many similar bands - instrumental only compositions too often are not enough attractive to be listened one after another for a long. Happily, it just 4- song EP. so you have here enough music to imagine what Russian Circles are, and not too much to be boring.
In all, not a bad debut by average American post-rock band.
Review by
snobb
Special Collaborator Jazz Rock/Fusion
Strong debut of American post-rock band. Even being full instrumental work, album is
different enough to be listened without the risk to be bored."Arrowhead Wounds" is guitar driven rock song with almost metal energetic. "Your Ships Are Googlin' Pretty Hard" is strongly influenced by melodic brit-pop, but is heavy and rocks!"Bergen" is most atmospheric composition with some Nordic post-rock sound.
"Hey Kids" is short, opened by some sound effects, but very soon become guitar driven bridge to "Paseo la Salamandria" - maybe most memorable album composition. Lighter, with interesting drumming, and some rhythm breaks.
For sure, still debut, not mature work, the album contains some interesting music. Could become a good start for the band.
Review by
snobb
Special Collaborator Jazz Rock/Fusion
One more post-rock band from Scandinavia. You will hear here some standard sounds
you're expecting from them. The music is a bit dreamy, a bit airy, partially acoustic, slightly
melodic. Mid-tempo, for sure. Almost instrumental as well. With few heavy guitar riffs (no too
much, don't worry). So, generally, almost your average Nordic post-rock band, when often the
name of the band is not too important - the music is so simple and so similar, you don't care
about band's name too much.But there is some difference - the music is extremely low-fi, simple and primitive. The only possible connection with any form of progressive music is some long compositions. But whenever they are very repetitive and level of musicianship is extremely low, it's difficult to think that band's musical minimalism is just experimental musical form. I afraid, it is just only possible form they could play.
Whenever compositions are not too different between each other, you generally can think that you're listening just one long lazy song. It is popular opinion, that at its time new-age became most popular music for elevators. Possibly, then some post-rock bands will make them a big competition now.
Can't imagine who could be attracted by this work - possibly just heavy collector of all existent post-rock albums.
Review by
snobb
Special Collaborator Jazz Rock/Fusion
Debut album of this Icelandic band opens with short ambient composition
("Silence") full of Nordic air. Next five album songs are almost 10 minutes long each (and
often longer), all simple clear melodies. With characteristic Sigur Ros influence, band plays
less subtle and psychedelic music, with stronger rock component."Beautiful View" is even more acoustic, with minimalistic drums and simple, but nice northern melody, played by guitar again. Step by step album bring you to the world of natural Nordic nature, without tension, rush, nervous breakdowns..... Slow,simple, minimalistic and natural. And not boring.
As usual with many instrumental post-rock bands, this album has limited attraction for listeners outside of post-rock fans circles. For style fans - not bad work, especially for soft Nordic sound lovers.
Review by
snobb
Special Collaborator Jazz Rock/Fusion
Debut album of this Swedish band contains usual Nordic post-rock. Beautiful
slow/mid tempo instrumental compositions with acoustic strings and very airy atmosphere
can attract Sigur Ros sound lovers. Not too dreamy or psychedelic, the band has some
heavier rock elements in their music as well.Music is as often minimalistic, but not too boring and good balanced. The band doesn't explore too much experimental side, but concentrates more on accessible ,but competent sound. With some electronic/ambient sounds influenced by Nordic nu.jazz included in their songs, this album covers a wider territory than just one more average post-rock band.
Good listening for Nordic post-rock fans.
Review by
snobb
Special Collaborator Jazz Rock/Fusion
Debut Pertego EP is different music (from usual post-rock). The reason is very
understandable. It is Italian band. So it is very logic to expect their own form of post-rock - kind
of post-RPI. And in some sense you will find it here.Starting from very first song, you will hear much more melodic sound and deeper harmonies than you can expect from regular post-rock band. Slow, dreamy music with some angular rhythm (according to post-rock concept) is mixed with deep roots of PRI (or classic music). Angelic female vocals could be similar with such from Nordic bands, but has much warmer moments. All album's music - as well. Arrangements, rich in strings, build symphonic atmosphere too.
As I understand, this young band play music for theatres and visual installations. I believe it is a best way to listen , because just music itself is not rich enough to be listened for a long. But with live play (or used as soundtrack) , it could be a really nice listening.
If not great, at least different "warmer" kind of post rock. Little better then myriads of competitors.
Review by Neurotarkus
As I said in my Agaetis Byrjun review, Sigur Ros can be extremely good at times, and not so much at
others. This comes out in full force on ( ), hereby known as Brackets. The first half, the "happy"
songs, are extremely good, utilizing piano and Jonsi's excellent falsetto that emits Hopelandic
vocals to very good use, creating atmospheres of peace, contentedness, joy, and nostalgia- these
songs remind me of carefree childhood years, from the perspective of an older person- remembering
how the days were loose and pressure minimal, compared to the hard, fast modern life that older
people are expected to live. However, the second half, the "sad" songs, are a bit dodgier, and
longer. They're not bad, and at the right time, they can be pretty powerful, but they can't hold a
candle to the brilliantly made first half. I'm grappling with the issue of how many stars to give
it- I think that this record deserves more than two stars, so a three star rating, albeit a
relatively weak one, seems to be in order.
Review by Neurotarkus
This record is the soundtrack of the apocalypse. It's gonna take a few listens to sink in, but once
it does, you will probably find it to be a truly great album, each of the three long songs being
connected in misery and darkness. The feeling I get from F#A# Infinity is a city of people watching
a nuke crashing into them, each second before their vaporization being lengthened in their minds, as
mothers hold their children, lovers find solace in each others arms, and people think of what life
is, what it could have been, and what it has become. It's a sad, depressing album, not for everyday
listening, but when the time is right, it can be a thing to behold. Of course, GYBE is not for
everyone, and some will find this dull and overrated, even after a few good listens, and that's
fine, everyone has different tastes, and people are bound to think differently than you on certain
things. Four stars seems right, though this is something you should really take a test run of first.
Review by
snobb
Special Collaborator Jazz Rock/Fusion
US math rock band with heavy energy and Fripp-influenced guitars leading their
music to unusual for post rock bands drive and tension. Complex and angular compositions
and female lead guitarist excellent technique both can attract many instrumental rock lovers.General musical structures are characteristic for math rock loops-like and cool calculated, but heavy rock energetic and complex musicianship still save this work from being repetitive or boring. Comparing with their debut, this second album is really better played and finished and contains much more mature music.
One of the style most rock-fuelled albums I ever listened. I am not sure how attractive could it be for math/post rock newcomers ( I always recommend very different from US-sound Sigur Ros early albums as the best introduction), but from another hand it can be really interesting for those searching on different instrumental prog-rock with high energy.
Really 3,5.
Review by
snobb
Special Collaborator Jazz Rock/Fusion
This only album from US band A!A!! is interesting because it is different. I mean
different from what you are usually expecting from albums under Post Rock/Math Rock label. First of all, there are not only complexity and cold demonstration of perfectly calculated abilities of band members, but more accent on some melodic and warmer ( in the border's of genre's rules) sound. Plenty of influences from electro-pop bands (from 80-s), but cleaned from pop-component. Possibly because of this legacy sound is a bit simplified and vintage- like.
Again, whenever quite interesting music for researchers or heavy style fans, it doesn't looks that similar works could attract bigger amount of fans. More raw material for some future music, than final value, I think.
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