"it should be said" : Sigur Ros

Showing posts with label Sigur Ros. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

synth sets the world spinning

Rags & Ribbons
The Glass Masses

Crystalline guitars and shimmering synth boost and bring focus to the smooth vocals on Even Matter, the opening track on Rags & Ribbons debut album. There are forlorn melodies in the guitars and a sense of yearning to be found in those captivating vocals, all the while a mildly demented interplay of drums and synth sets the world spinning. And this begins a captivating journey across the initial offering from this Portland trio. Their alt-rock is amped up a bit more on Liar. The guitars become meatier and the chorus is like layered angels. Fragile U2-esque guitar lines are buried beneath what could be called a choir of vocals as The Marks You Make gets rolling. The drum snaps away like a soldier's beat before the song surges into an upswing accented by piano. Muted piano and lush vocals slide alongside a sorrowful guitar line in the core of Moving On. My favorite track, Abacus Kids reminds me of the mega hit by Big Country, In A Big Country. It has that epic, emotional and nostalgic quality to its main riff and those unmistakable vocals hooks that drag me across windswept landscapes. The song works towards alternating rock explosions and sweet, melt-in-my-ears melodies. The deep, shuddering guitars that open We Have Been Here Before remind me of U2, but there is some other influence playing havoc on my mind as well because I can't quite place it. UGH. Regardless, the track ebbs and flows in a slow rolling rhythm. It's cold and rainy in the instruments, but the vocals continue to paint my speakers with quicksilver. The Glass Masses is a comforting album despite the tinge of despair that lingers across the tracks. I hear echoes of Drivin' N Cryin' and Queen and U2 sprinkled throughout this album. The emotional depth of early 90s alternative rock is bled out in rivers by Rags & Ribbons.

http://www.nocturnalcult.com/newcontents.htm

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Portland has a burgeoning indie music scene and from its womb is birthed the sweet and soft sounds of Beneath Wind A Waves.

Beneath Wind And Waves

Non-Etre

Self Released 2011

Portland has a burgeoning indie music scene and from its womb is birthed the sweet and soft sounds of Beneath Wind A Waves. Transference's stark voice and isolated acoustic guitar are imbued with a haunting quality, the music sounds as if a hundred years of sorrow and roadweary experience have piled up on the songwriter. A muted dance beat lays the foundation for a sleepy pop track on Loop Me In. The lazy afternoon guitar work shimmers through distortion creating a nostalgic feel on the track. The back-and-forth duet of male and female vocals is an effective play on the dual sided outlook of a burgeoning relationship. This dual vocal approach continues on Angry Love. The song however is far from angry, there are subdued drums and a lazy pacing that causes the song to drag somewhat. God said opens up with some prairie folk guitar, dry and dusty. Shawn's vocals really stand out during the song. Persephone takes on a modern view of the old Greek myth and fills it with sparse guitar and the lush voice of Stephanie. The song drifts towards a darker, moodier pop locale as the song builds towards it climax and then releases the tension in an ambient voice of stillness. A subtle folk influence permeates Non-Etre and the minimal instrumentation lends well to Shawn's inviting voice doing the heavy lifting for the album. Sometimes I feel this album is a little too sleepy for its own good. The whole album is in a dreamy haze. It's like a less interesting Mazzy Star, but with male vocals. However, despite its molasses pace and barren instrumentation, Non-etre possesses an angst filled emotional depth. It is a lovelorn album to be sure.