In response to my homework assignment.
Have it be noted that I have decided to take this homework as a single track review and not a band review. Therefore I will be listening to the track assigned and nothing else from the same artist to compare against. So I hope you gave me each artists best track to review.
1. “Fervor and Frailty” – A Palace in Persia: Since this band was posted on yesterday, naturally I watch the video attached to the post before I headed over to their Myspace page. This order of operation could easily have tainted the entire project for me as the video is of such poor quality I couldn’t turn it off fast enough. But alas, I have taken the challenge to give A Palace in Persia another chance to woo me and “Fervor and Frailty” has done that. I have listened to this track a few times through, at 10 minutes a piece that’s quite a commitment from me, and here’s what I have determined. The initial organ intro held me in it’s palm as I awaited the blast of chaotic guitar and drums that are so typical of an intro of that sort but it never came, instead going in the complete opposite direction. It was at this point that I thought the song was wrapping up and I looked to find that I still had 7 more minutes to go and started wondering what Fred has gotten me into. As the song progressed into “Screamo” (yes, I hate that phrase just as much as you do) I began to fade but was dragged back in by the lead vocalists ability and range. While this track could have had a few of the intermission segments removed, over all I can’t help but put a comparison on “Fervor and Frailty” to a decent Mars Volta song. It changes directions frequently and kept my interest for the entire 10 minutes.
“Teach Me Alchemy” – Darlings’ Cabinet of Sundry Horror: Sit back in your chair, close your eyes and imagine with me for a minute what a band would sound like if they claimed friendships with the following people: Charles Manson, Friedrich Nietzsche and Jim Jones. Stir all that up in a big black caldron, add a pinch of creepy carnival and abandonded warehouse. Now you have a glimpse of what Darling’s Cabinet of Sundry Horror sounds like. In short, not my bag.
“Banjo Bird” – guitarrorism: I am trying to keep an open mind about this one and look beyond the lo-fi, improvisational sound that’s being emitted from my speakers and find the root of this musician’s purpose/goal/inspiration. After listening to “Banjo Bird” a few times as well as reading his own explanation of his sound:
…member of a deconstructed artificial multiple personality, an omnifunctional gahlistic* superartist. Free to stop, whenever wants to.
…
The goal is the no goal. This is a challenge for all our me’s. And it’s not. This is now. This is gone, while reading it. While listening to it. This is not to stay. I am not to stay. We are not. I am them, we, all, change.*gahlism is a new form of art and way of lifestyle initiated by mr. Klee.
It is about serious senseless trifle.
Apparently the goal is bad grammar.
I only have one thing to say. He’s trying way too hard to be edgy and is looking more foolish then genuine about his gahlistic lifestyle and music. We could go into an endless argument about the definition of music and the difference between music and noise but I won’t here. The point is that guitarrorism isn’t looking to make music at all, he’s looking for an output and audience for his philosophy – which opens a whole new can of worms all together.
“True Love Waits” (Radiohead cover) – Fire in The Sun: This is the easiest and at the same time the hardest review. Radiohead has to be up near the top of the most often covered bands and at the same time has a lead singer with some of the greatest ability. So covering a Radiohead song is risky business for sure. As a precurser I have to admit that I did go and listen to the original for a comparison, if that’s cheating so be it. That being said, Fire in The Sun puts out one of the best Radiohead covers I have heard, thankfully skipping the obvious and over done “Creep”, “Fake Plastic Trees” or “Karma Police” cover, and opting for a rarity. The other amazing part about this cover is the sound quality considering the webcam use. The balance between the vocals and the guitar are fantastic, with neither mistakenly taking the spotlight. Me likey.
Return assignment:
Don’t Haunt This Place by The Rural Alberta Advantage
This one had to be done
