Saturday, October 10, 2009

Stream of Consciousness First Impressions: Echo's Pack

On a forum I frequent (yes) we're in the process of trading packets of songs. There are a few floating about now, and the number's getting bigger. So, I guess I'll just post them.

Opeth - Hope Leaves. I know Opeth, I have Hearse, and I enjoy them, but never really got into them. I was really surprised by this song; at first I thought "Man, this is just too floaty and depressed for me," but I started getting really into it. They do a lot of really skilled, unexpected, and well-done things. It's beautiful music, really. The way it comes back to that strange, hypnotic guitar riff, and then builds continuously into a strange...I don't want to call it a crescendo, but things just start falling into place. Everything works so well together, and then when they work on it more you're like "Man, that's worthwhile." The major chords toward the end really give it depth. Such wonderful sonic texture, and use of melody without being overcomplex...it takes great songsmiths to do this without overdoing it. Not exactly intense, but a somewhat enthralling listen.

The Sounds - Midnight Sun. Never heard them before in my life. Dancey at the beginning to the point of being silly, but it's catchy. It flows nicely. The lyrics are...sort of stupid. I like where it goes, but I don't like how it gets there...there's only so much special things there. Then again...it is well done. I'm starting to like it more by the second verse...but it feels very mechanized, in some way. It doesn't...go far, I guess. This is of course a first impression, as all of these are, and I could see myself getting into the chorusy parts...I gotta say it tries to create a harder sound without really putting the energy in....but that guitar solo is pretty awesome. I like that part...I guess I could like this. Why do I hear Cocteau Twins in this?

Something Corporate - She Pains Me Blue Holy shit, I love it. Texture, tone: the piano and the drum rhythm and the wailing guitar...man I wish your voice wasn't so reedy...but shit the piano works so well! Man, that and the drums...this started off so promising, but they aren't doing anything with having the lyrics...in fact they're layering the vocals, which isn't cool...but I could see awesome things coming from this group, if they got a bit punkier. On second thought, it all is pretty cool. I wish it just made more of an effort to drag me in...which it totally does in the bridge oh my fucking god, that's perfect. That's perfect, the second chorus is perfect. Goddamn. That's some hot shit. Very beautiful.

Blind Pilot - The Bitter End Nice acoustic. Quiet and pretty, evocative lyrics...uses the guitar really well to reflect everything. It unfolds wonderfully. Ooh, drums, too. I guess it helps. Oooh, vibes. It's not totally fitting together for me, but I'm bopping my head around to it. It's really beautiful, it grows and draws me in, and that acoustic is just fantastic. The drums could help it out more, but how harsh can I be? That's really cool. Oooh, nice choruses. I'm gettin' this shit.

Birds of Avalon - Think This is cool! Psychadelic, cool intervals, classy sitar. Nice vocal line working over it. It just chugs forward, echoes and soars without really changing. The creepy lyrics enhance it. The unison part is strange, but the bass + drums make it more strange and interesting, and it really builds, balancing between unison and soaring. The bass and guitar get more complex, same as drums. It almost...doesn't fit together...but then it does. It's so well put together, in fact ,that you sort of realize it while you're focusing on how it doesn't make sense. I really really like this. So cool man, I'm glad it's as long as it is. It builds and shrinks and regrows so ingeniously. Solos aren't really solos, but developments to get to somewhere else...hot damn! I could love this. Holy shit, I almost got the chills there. That rarely happens. Oh man it only gets more beat-drivenly awesome, this is like the harder version of Gang Gang Dance, somehow. Love love love. I fucking love you echo, this is hot stuff! I love it! That's going on the fuck yes list, yes. Awesome. Woooo. This is now my jam.

Slow Club - Christmas TV Builds and goes along nicely. Quaint and pretty and glowing. Nice lyrics, and they have nice voices. It's great, great. Pretty cool thing. I feel like singing along, just falling into their world. Good stuff, feels good man.

Keane - This Is the Last Time Electronic strangeness + piano + falsetto voice. It works, I think. It holds, I'm getting into it, if it's a bit overdone- but that doesn't make the buildup any less...not just catchy, although it's boatloads filled with that. And then...falls into ballad cliche...it's well done, and it builds nicely, but this just isn't my thing. I skipped the last half. It...doesn't shine at me.

Pink Floyd - Have a Cigar I can't say I know Wish You Were Here very well, but I don't need to listen to the whole of this song to know I love it. Good choice.

The Rapture - I Am Complete This is the best kind of emo-ish harder stuff. I love the two guitar lines. Drives along nicely, I love the beat. Maybe lags a bit under the vocals...the lyrics are sorta stupid. But the soundscapes are full and filling and wonderful! Lotsa good yes. Cool album art, hey. The chorus just keeps modulating, but y'know that's ok. I wish Sick Puppies did stuff more like this. There's even good development around the guitar lines. Second chorus / pre-chorus cycle is pretty sick, man. P-piano? That's a bit much, even for me. But let's see what they do with it...nice buildup with bassline and the drums, but will it fit in here...that fill's too long...and all you did is make the chorus muddier...but then again it's pivoting in this coolish way. I'm on the fence about this piece, and I'm coming out on the positive. Nice.

The Bravery - This Is Not The End The Bravery has never really disappointed me, from the various cuts I've gotten. I'm gonna spend my time on other things, but the Bravery are pretty good, solidly, somewhat engrossing music. Well-put together, if a bit overdone.

My Twin - Katalonia I just got a wave of fatigue so this isn't gonna be unbiased any more. It's cool...but it's weird. I don't know what to think about it. It's good, it's strange and just sort of paralell to my line of thinking. Tight as hell. I think I like it. Nice melody lines, not too much relience on screaming chords (except in the chorus a bit, in that way it falls into boxes), and for the most part these guys are really creative. Bridge is sick shit, especially with the electric line put in. Oooh, nice cut out, I bet this coming-back part'll be awesome. Yep. I like it, I'll like it more in the future.

Pink Floyd - It's Gold In The ... I don't have to listen to the whole thing

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