Ricky's Music Reviews. (Double New Review 5/22~!)

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I'm a filthy liar. I'll have a review up before I leave on Saturday.

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THE SOUND OF ANIMALS FIGHTING.lover, the lord has left us...

OVERVIEW
The Sound Of Animals Fighting is a noise rock super group composed of Anthony Green, lead singer of Circa Survive, and members of the Rx Bandits. The different members dawn animal masks for photo shoots and refer to themselves as their animal - the Nightingale, the Lynx, etc. It is said that all three of the band's records was made completely separate by all four original members, and that they never spoke of them during the recording process.

REVIEW
This is the band's worst disc.
I'll come out and say it.
There's some damn good tracks on it - 'This Heat' and 'Stouckhausen...' are a few examples - but this disc is held back by a few bad ideas thrown into the mix.

First and foremost, the idea of giving Craig Owens (Chiodos, Cinematic Sunrise) three tracks to do lead vocals in was an awful idea. Two of the three tracks - 'Un'aria' and 'Un'aria Ancora' - are short, stout attempts where Owens spouts monologues in his pitchy, feminine voice. The third track, 'Horses In The Sky,' is a good track instrumentally, but once again, Owens' voice feels out of place and unwelcome in tone with the rest of the record.

The other major problem is that the record tries way too hard to be 'avant-garde' and 'expiremental,' so to speak. I can understand the need to feel and sound different, but I'll pass on listening to an out of tune, unplugged electric guitar, some bongos, and what sounds like an old man singing some kind of thesis on the annunciation of letters in music....for six minutes. ('There Can Be No Dispute That Monsters Live Among Us.') There are too many blundering 'expiremental' tracks that make it difficult to find something good on this record.

If you're looking to get in this band. Don't start here. Don't even GO here. Be VERY careful in approaching this record. If you're looking for a good noise-rock album, I'd go with this band's first record, The Tiger And The Duke. There's a bunch of remixes of this record's songs that were included with the most recent pressing to go with the record's nine tracks, so you get a few more surprises in there. But this record will be a somewhat hit, or a failed, absolute miss. Depends on your patience.

SCORE
5.2/10

KEY TRACKS.
'Skullflower,' 'This Heat,' 'Stockhausen...,' 'St. Broadrick...,' 'The Heretic.'

[mrfabulous]

Bump. New review coming right up.

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SPARKS THE RESCUE. eyes to the sun.

OVERVIEW
Sparks The Rescue used to be the darling of the Portland, ME music scene. They're a band especially close to my heart - the success story in a dying music buisness. Sure, there's some great music, but the chances o making it in that town are slim. It's just shy of Boston and no one pays much attention to it. It takes the dedication of a young band with a catchy sound like Sparks to bring it back. I've seen this band at least ten times, and am on a first name basis with them. Bragging rights aside, I've seen this band grow from a screamy emocore band to a powerpop outfit.

REVIEW
This is the best pop-punk release of 2009 so far. The changes from their last disc, the six track EP The Secrets We Can't Keep, that had screams being passed and forth between a former synth player, Marty [one of my favorite musicians ever] and the bassist, Ben, is now replaced with the soaring harmonies of lead singer Alex and rhythm guitarist, Toby. Lead guitarist Patrick gives a classic-rock edge to the popping in your ears with riffs that border on shredding over the track, only adding to its catchiness. Alex Roy has the ideal pop-punk voice, and can write a mean song to match it.

One thing that bothered me most about this record, comparing it to their previous effort, is the dumbing down of the drums in order to make a single with each song. There's hardly individuality to them, and drummer Nathan [the most antisocial of the bunch] can really show those skins who's the boss.

While Sparks The Rescue doesn't reinvent the wheel, so to speak, with Eyes To The Sun, they certainly give it a certain polish, and make it a fun disc to wile away the summer to. This is perfect for the long summer drives, the background to the ideal hangout session. It's what I would want to put in the background if someone made a documentary about PortCon.

It's the most fun you'll have all summer.

SCORE
8.5/10

KEY TRACKS
There isn't a bad track in the bunch. I recommend all of it. If I had to, though, I would suggest starting with 'Autumn,' 'The Gravity,' and 'My Heart Radio.'

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE
Farewell, All Time Low

[mrfabulous]

Revamped the first page, and fixed any grammatical/formatting errors in all the reviews.

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FORGIVE DURDEN. razia's shadow: a musical.

"Place your head on mine, untie your mind.
Let your bloated brain, balloon and float away."
-O The Scientist

OVERVIEW
The musical is a dying art, it would seem, with shows such as High School Musical and Hairspray being rehashed for film, being more about the flash and face rather than the journey or the music. Shallow subject matter, lyrics, and characters are in favor over any signs of development in a person.

That's why there's no better man to bring his own musical to fruition than Thomas Dutton, the sole remaining member of Forgive Durden. After the release of Wonderland, the other three members split off, but the idea for the album far precedes these events. After four years of many setbacks, such as what is described above, this album - though it should be called a production for its own sake - was slowly and surely revealed on the internet with clips of each character making their way onto a viral campaign site. When all is said and done, though, the result is a masterpiece, a grand effort that deserves every bit of hype it's amassed.

So, where to begin?

Well, let's start with the story. The musical is divided into two parts, but The Narrator (Aaron Weiss of mewithoutYou) is there to hold our hands throughout the fascinating world laid before us. The first saga is that of Ahrima (Thomas Dutton in a dual-lead role), alone in a world soon to be divided by his actions. Ahrima wishes to be recognized as a gifted young man, but no one will listen to him. He falls in love with a young woman named Nidria (Lizzie Huffman of Her Brother Band), but their relationship is short-lived, for after receiving cryptic messages from O The Scientist, Ahrima is left alone to the shadows. It is here that Barayas the Spider (Max Bemis) coerces him into destroying the lamps that symbolize the people's hard work. After doing so, Toba The Tura (Chris Conley of Saves the Day) banishes him from the populace, and the people build a wall, dividing the world into light and darkness.

The two middle tracks consist of The Oracle (Danny Stevens of The Audution) giving the prophecy that the chosen one of two lovers will unite the world one day with their sacrifice, followed by a beautiful acapella piece with recurring lyrics.

Flash forward a hundred years. The new main character is Adakias (Thomas Dutton), who is scorned by the people as a dreamer, who believes his existence is more than what he knows. Even his much more liked brother, Pallis (Brendan Urie) accuses Adakias of being what he is perceived to be, but even this does not stop him from venturing forth to see through his destiny.

"Don’t you ever dream of some place better
When the light shines brighter?
Don't you ever feel like you’ve been destined
For something bigger than your skin?"
-Adakias

The journey we are led on is of a grandiose scale, as we meet a whole roster of characters whose roles, small or big, seem to make a difference in the tide of the production. The cast itself was very well chosen, each voice flowing and working together to help bring the story to life. Each character stands out in their own extremity, no one role outshining the other. There are no throwaway parts, not one moment where there's a sense of waste. Weiss’ narration in each piece does not hamper or bring the pace to a screeching halt, but rather is cleverly used to segue into the next section.

The sound. Oh, the sound. That itself is something to be beheld. The orchestra is full-scale and cleverly mixed into the pacing of the show. Squealing violins build up excitement, while crooning trumpets and tinkling xylophones create a sense of humor. Each song is respectable and lengthy, unique in its own way. It’s also pleasantly unpredictable, going from sinister in one moment to spastic and desperate the next.

Razia's Shadow is a production that combines the name with the music, combining a star-studded cast with musical ingenuity and fantastic lyrics. This is Thomas Dutton's Ninth Symphony. This is the pinnacle of the current generation's concept album. This is Razia's Shadow - what many already consider to be, just days after it sees the light of day, the best disc of the year.

"Dream with your eyes closed."
-O The Scientist

SCORE
9.5/10

KEY TRACKS
'Genesis,' 'The Spider And The Lamps,' 'The Exit,' 'The End and The Beginning'

[octanehugo]

Hairspray was a good remake. Decent music in it.

[natalieplz]

Ricky. Green Day's new album came out. Gonna review it?

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Hugo: Anything with Zac Efron I'm unable to take seriously. Did you know he was going to be in the remake of Footloose, but dropped the project? Thank god.

Natalie: Most likely not. And it comes out in two days. ;3

Now, mewithoutYou's new album on the other hand...that's something I'll review.

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New revieeeeew~


THE CAMBIATA. to heal.[/i]

OVERVIEW
On January 13th, 2008 – my sixteenth birthday – a new song was posted on Portland, Maine’s The Cambiata’s myspace page. Now, this piqued my interest. I had been somewhat of a fan since buying their first effort, Into The Night, a few months prior. The ten-song effort was a daring blend of hardcore, metal, pop punk, alternative, and even jazz influences to blend one of the best albums of 2006 from the state of Maine. The new song posted was called “All In All (Julie)” and would become the first track on the band’s new disc, To Heal.

“But to heal….what a novel idea!” - “All In All (Julie)”

I have not shut up about this band since buying the record.

Ten months later, here I am, still praising this disc as my favorite of the year. These five tracks have stood the test of time, through the hype of other releases such as Forgive Durden's Razia’s Shadow and Underoath's Lost In The Sound Of Separation. Not to say those and other discs released this year were not excellent in their own right, but The Cambiata has stood out and shined throughout the year.

But enough from me – let me show you what all the fuss is about.

To Heal is a long shot in terms of progression from Into The Night. Fans of the first disc will notice a more theatrical approach to their music, especially from the band’s vocalist, Chris Moulton. It is especially on tracks such as the opener and “Purple” that he lets loose and unleashes an unprecedented fury in his voice, torn by the words he both utters and shrieks in fits of monotony and rage. While there are times when he lets it get out of hand, the composure Moulton keeps is incredible, to say the least. With such potent energy, it's amazing that he manages to control himself.

This is not to say, however, that the band backing behind him does not stand out as well. Overall, percussionist Dan Capaldi, guitarist/glock-rocker Sean Morin and Miguel Barajas and Stan Dzengelewski on guitar and bass, respectively, show their versatility, with prominent xylophone and glockenspiel in “Cut Your Losses.” There’s also some orchestral music involved as well, composed by the band, and the two coincide together beautifully. With all five members contributing to the lyrics, the band is the slickest musical machine on the market.

Now, as for the tracks themselves, we witness a range of what we’ve already seen and what we could have never expected. More contemporary tracks like “Sidestepping versus Splitting Heirs” show how structured the group can make a song while still maintaining their sound. On the other hand, tracks like “Roswell,” the nine minute closer, are slow, but not painfully slow. Moulton sings on “Purple,” with a voice that is affected by the tempo, “All that we see/ Thirsts all that I love/ Shall glow/ Remember my name/ When all this tide is cursive.” He lingers on each word he sings, seemingly unable to continue forth to the next phrase.

But it is the final words spoken on the record that have been burned into my essence. These are words I will never forget.

“Push all the livid out...” - "Roswell"

This is a phrase repeated for three minutes at the end of “Roswell,” a track that no longer holds back at the six minute mark. To heal is to let go, to say goodbye to your strife and your attachment to the elements of your despair. This phrase has helped me out more times that I can pay reverence to, and once you hear it, you will never forget it. I guarantee you that.

To Heal was the only perfect disc to me this year. These five tracks have delivered and surprised me every time I listen. I do more than recommend this to you – I demand these songs to be heard, by anyone who is willing to give this small band a chance. Go on iTunes, get them online, however you can - just get this record.

SCORE
10/10.

myspace.

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THE CAMBIATA. the cambiata.

On January 13th, 2009 – my seventeenth birthday, and exactly a year since my love for Portland, Maine's The Cambiata began to blossom – The Cambiata released their highly-anticipated, self-titled second album, the second disc in less than year since the prior February's To Heal. The five songs on the EP were unthinkably good, but how would a full-length fare?

Most people who listened to To Heal will say that a few of the songs were far too long and wrapped up in what they had created ("Purple," "Roswell"), whereas I personally disagree with this. Those songs were meant to be as they stand. Taking note of the feedback given, the band, therefore, have presented eleven tracks, all of which run under the five minute mark with the exception of one. The disc takes on the difficult task of taking a song meant to linger and condensing it into the three-four minute zone, and it works – most of the time.

Songs such as "Changing Everything," the beautiful opener, and the harsh "For Zelda Fitzgerald" were given the right amount of what made tracks such as "Sidestepping" and "Cut You Losses" from the last disc so good for being so "short," so to speak. However, the key thing to remember is that lingering phrase "most of the time." There are times ("The Gold She Gives," "Machine Of God," "Alaska") where The Cambiata become a bit too self-conscious of their goal and desert some good tracks that just needed a little more development. This is not to say that they’re not on the right track – they are so close to capturing perfection, it’s not even funny.

In terms of sound, however, there are no complaints. The band remains solid, and the most notable improvement is in Chris Moulton’s vocals. While they were brutally beautiful, the vocals could get out of hand. Moulton does a great job not to get carried away and to back off when need be. Lyrically, they’ve improved as well – Moulton delivers one-liners with his own sense of subtlety, as heard in "Hell's Kitchen": "So if it’s me you aim to change/ You can fuck right off." He mumbles, as if reluctant, and laments, "This town will kill us all" on "Changing Everything." In "For Zelda Fitzgerald," the track most reminiscent of To Heal on the self-titled record, we hear such lyrics as, "Lord! I saw a pagan at the market/all proud and sorted out/Lord! I saw religion at the market/All brass and mouth-to-mouth!." Moulton screeches, hisses, and struggles to keep control. While it is a strong track, the vocals can be a bit too much.

While the orchestral appeal remains – violins, brass, and percussion – the band keep a sense of minimalism about them, merely coinciding with the added instruments rather than basking in them. The band is humbled by their presence, a warm and chilling backup.

Despite all this, it’s certainly not the "worst," so to speak, but it’s not their "greatest." The band needs to continue making ground towards finding a center in the technical aspect, and they will prosper. This is the best band in Maine, hands down. Show some love, 4PP. They deserve nothing less.

SCORE
9.4/10.