ONE TIME FOR ALL TIME

This CD is a good example of a recording where only one or two listens can lead to a very wrong impression. Another one of my kid’s albums, and one that I played a couple times a while back and pretty much dismissed as yet another non-descript indie band that dabbled along the edges of post-rock. But over the last several months that impression has evolved, and I find myself coming back to it quite a bit, especially on lazy weekends when an hour or so of creative instrumental music makes for a nice backdrop to the day. Like today, for example.

At times the drums and some of the extraneous recorded sounds remind me of Cynic’s ‘Focus’. Especially the drums, which are energetic and packed with fills and just excellent. This is maybe what Bark Psychosis was going for when they started out – post-rock that embraces the energy of metal and post-punk, but sculpted into something cohesive and expressive, as opposed to just loud and angry. Bark Psychosis never quite got there, mostly because they weren’t all that great of musicians, but these guys sure are, and they come off much stronger.

“Welcome to the Times” is a good example of a strong tempo that isn’t at all languid or overly introspective or timid or too cute, like so many post-rock bands have a tendency to be. These guys are confident and talented, and they lay down their tracks with a strong sense of purpose. The layers of electronic sounds are like digital sampling that add a dimension of richness to the music much like the whole group of Mile-End bands like Godspeed and A Silver Mt. Zion and Fly Pan Am and Set Fire to Flames, but without the benefit of strings or any other symphonic elements like some of those bands have. There’s some synthesized strings, but not too much. They aren’t really missed, ‘cause like I said these guys lean closer to rock than to ‘post’, just without the vocals.

My one complaint is that none of the tracks is developed as fully as it could be. “Climbing on Roofs” and “The Big Afraid” especially, both of which do feature those fake strings as well as the aggressive tempo, but both of which almost end too abruptly and fail to make a lasting impression.

The closing track “Radio Protector” probably comes the closest, with some piano that borders dangerously on Ben Folds territory, but manages to build slowly like a more traditional post-rock offering with synth strings used to good effect and the strong tempo that sets these guys apart. Still less than five minutes when it could have been much longer, but a great effort. I suspect there is a F# A# ∞ type of epic release in these guy’s near future.

This band and this album will appeal to fans of Sigur Rós, Explosions in the Sky, and Mogwai. They may not be quite deep enough for Godspeed fans, but they’re getting there. And if you are one of those metal-heads that thinks Cynic is a class act (I would agree, by the way), you might find these guys to be a good introduction to the whole post-rock concept. A very solid offering, and a strong argument to seek out some of their other stuff. Four stars.

peace