The Chorus Music Club Society • Page 198

Great reviews. Two VERY interesting choices for sure!

 

hahaha thanks. Glad you enjoyed! I went back and edited the language, thanks for correcting me on that!

 

Also my reviews of your Recs @skogsraet was my 15,000th post on chorus. So it’s extra special lol

 

and to end the evening of write ups, its time for some more patterns in music with @Patterns in Traffic

Army Of Me-Citizen

I am always down for some indie rock, and when I was partnered with Patterns I knew I was going to get some. Citizen did not disappoint with this 2007 album. Coming from our nation's capital, Army of Me was a band I had not heard of prior to this; but Patterns was convinced that I would like them. Was he right about this 49 minute album being right in my wheelhouse? Yes, this album was very familiar to me! This album is extremely sincere, that is something you will notice right off the bat when you listen to this. What I mean by this is that none of their lyrics seem faked or forced, these lyrics seem genuine. That helps these songs have a strength, one that carries for the whole album.

'Perfect' is the name of the opening track, and well, its perfect. This song starts off beautifully with some plucked guitar strings, leading in to a soft croon of a song about missing someone who isn't exactly in step with you anymore in your life, and how one day you will be 'perfect' enough to take their breath away. Its a great, down to earth and realistic emotion that could be geared towards a parental figure or a spouse; and it opens up this passion filled album well. This is followed up with 'Going Through Changes' (I recognized this song from MLB06 back in the day!), which lyrically explores the struggles of life and loss, with these stellar guitars forming the background frame of this song and contains one of the catchiest choruses on the album. One thing I will note about these guys; they are skilled with some guitar riffs, a lot of these songs probably translate well to a live setting well, and the same can be said about his vocals which sound really good. This would be the song I would show someone to give them a chance to like this album with just one song. You also have cool moments on the album like 'Meet You At The Mouth' that starts with this heavy synth and has vocals that sound almost like Arctic Monkeys in some places. A definite stand out on the album, as this was one of the more heavy tracks on the album musically; and lyrically as well. Again, the lyrics on this album are very passionate and honest. There are no fancy word plays here, just honest lyrics that are easy to understand and require no deciphering. 'Still Believe In You' is a prime example of this as well, and rounds out the first five tracks on the album nicely; 'You're fragile like an eggshell, that I've been kicking in.' are the opening lyrics of this song which deals with making amends to someone you have wronged. The song contains a great chorus, sung almost in a chant. They like to try different things, and you get things like 'Better Run' which is a piano ballad accompanied by acoustic guitar, a nice welcome change of pace after the last few songs. There are a lot of spiritual emotions and lyrics on these songs, it can almost be argued that they are religious; but that is an interpretation, and the spiritual emotions these lyrics portray can be taken in any context you see fit. These guys are talented, point blank. They don't try to portray themselves as anything they aren't, and they just express themselves like in songs such as 'Walking On' which sees the return of the piano and keyboards and some cool effects working with the songs.

This album was pretty dang good. These guys are purely talented musicians doing what they love to do; and they do it in earnest and honesty. There were some times on the album that it almost felt a bit too familiar, but these were few and far between. This is an album worth listening to, especially on a long night drive. If you like music like Andrew McMahon or Cartel, this group might sit well with you. Its Indie Rock at its finest, and its dealings of love and life are well done. I highly recommend it. Stand Out Tracks: 'Perfect', 'Going Through Changes', 'Meet You At The Mouth', 'Better Run', 'Walking On', 'Saved Your Life'
7/10


MUTEMATH-Armistice

As soon as I hit play I knew this was a much different beast than the other review from Patterns I had done. There were some on here that were excited for me to do my first impressions of this album and this band, and I can see why. They are much different than what I normally listen to, and they are very unique. Released in 2009, this is a very experimental rock album, and there are a lot of elements and effects that you wouldn't expect to hear going in; I sure as heck did not but its done in such a way that its hard not to admire this album. Very much like if post reunion Fall Out Boy met with Muse, and they somehow got their music sheets mixed up and this would be the end result. This album as a kinetic force to it, its very energetic and there isn't one moment on the album where you think something feels out of place or unneeded. The vocals are interwoven well with all of the effects and nuances they weave in with the rock sound; and it works like a damn charm.

The album is almost an hour long, but it never feels like it becomes too long. This album has a lot of progression on it, each song seems to build on top of the other one with the power and layers that they are putting into each song. By the time you get to the third song 'Clipping', you are 100% invested in this album. There are so many textures and layers to these songs, and they don't ever feel retreaded or repetitive. Clipping and the up beat jam 'Spotlight' sound nothing alike, nor do any of the following tracks after that. These are experimental alternative rock songs, done well and with lots of care and expertise. 'Pins And Needles' is one of my favorites on the album, and its just this soft and smooth almost a ballad of a rock song that deals with embracing your broke down emotions instead of putting on a façade to pretend you are something you are not, before you dive into 'Goodbye', which is a damn fun song to listen to and is a certified jam; yet its also soft and beloved at the same time. With honest lyrics like "If you say goodbye, my hearts in trouble", its a fun and catchy song that you can relate to; but really the lyrics are just one component of the machine that this album is. But when they are strong, they are STRONG. You have songs like 'No Response' that spout lyrics like "If all is black and white, then tell me what is wrong and right". These lyrics, while being one part of the machine, are deep. They require a couple listens to really get a grasp on, and the meanings won't always stand out right away. When they click though, you can tell that these guys put a lot of effort into sculpting these words. Yet, at the same time, you have songs like 'Electrify' spouting lyrics like "She knows every little way to get the thing that she wants. My heart is an oven, And she’s pushing the buttons right now, Right now." and is so damn catchy and fun that you want to get up and dance to it. These guys seem to be very good at doing that; they make these songs that function so well as this overarching album but they contain these addictive songs by themselves like this one that you cannot help but not only get caught in your head but get up and dance to. Its a damn fun ride through the whole album, whether they are reaching for darker and more serious tones about morals and politics or these fun moments about love and lust.

These songs are grand, that's all there is to really say. There are a lot of layers to these songs, and you can tell a lot of work went into them both musically and lyrically. Like a movie that your watch a second time through, you will notice different nuances and effects you did not catch the first time through on repeat listens. This is a damn good experimental alternative rock album, with a lot of replay value to it. These songs will elicit feelings from you that you were not expecting to feel while listening to an album, and you will get addicted to them, and fast. I recommend this album; its instantly catchy and yet well thought out at the same time. Excellent recommendation.
Standout tracks: 'Clipping', 'Spotlight', 'No Response', 'Pins and Needles', 'Goodbye', 'Electrify', 'Armistice', 'Burden', 'Architecture'
8/10

 

Armistice is a masterpiece - glad you enjoyed it!

 

Last week, I was paired for the second time with the incomparable @JediMasterKevo182. We were paired a few weeks ago and I experienced my first Hawthorne Heights album, the scene classic If Only You Were Lonely. At the time, I said I thought it would be interesting to see how Hawthorne Heights' sound has evolved, and I've now had the opportunity to do just that.

@JediMasterKevo182 recommended two of the band's recent series of three EPs, Hope and Hurt. However, being the overachiever (and completionist) that I am, I decided to check out all three of them and include Hate as well. So let's go through these one at a time, shall we?



Hate
My first taste of current Hawthorne Heights could not have caught me more off guard, as this EP opens with the track "There Was a Kid (Part 1)." This is a one-minute track where vocalist JT Woodruff does some kind of rhythmic speak-singing over a backdrop of eerie guitar picking. The vocal melody and delivery was immediately reminiscent of the Butthole Surfers' hit "Pepper." This was absolutely not what I was expecting, but was an interesting new sound for the band. I can appreciate them taking this kind of chance and trying something completely different.

The next track "Is This What You Wanted?" was more along the lines of what I'd heard from Hawthorne Heights. A blend of sung and screamed vocals with a pretty catchy chorus. But it is already apparent from these first two songs that the band has gone in a darker, heavier, and more metal-influenced direction since the poppier, screamo approach of their early albums. "Divided" follows, with a triumphant chorus melody that really grabbed me. This is probably my favorite song on this EP. However, I was not a fan of the next track, the title track "Hate." This song came across as a bit juvenile, with very adolescent and cliche emo lyrics about hating your life, job, parents, etc. sprinkled with token cursing. It kind of reminded me of a heavy Simple Plan song.

The next few songs are pretty enjoyable affairs, and "Oceans" has more of an alt-rock sound, though it also includes a breakdown with more of the spoken-word-style vocals paired with screaming vocals. "Four White Walls" includes some gang vocal chanting and a driving verse that slows down into a strong chorus. The final song "Passengers" features more of the spoken-word vocals and seems to have a societal/political message in the lyrics. I'm not sure that I totally bought into this song, but again I appreciated Hawthorne Heights stretching their sound and trying something different.



Hope
This EP starts with "There Was a Kid (Part 2)" which continues to evoke the Butthole Surfers, but this time a clean vocal melody enters halfway through, urging the listener to "sing a song of hope." The theme of hope is also reflected in the guitars, which sound much cleaner this time around. The eeriness and grit from Part 1 is mostly gone, which is also a reflection of better overall production on this EP.

"New Winter" follows, with a cleaner, more produced, and poppier sound than anything heard on Hate. This song sounds like it wouldn't have been totally out of place on If Only You Were Lonely. This pattern continues on "Running in Place (Niki AM)." Everything sounds cleaner, from the vocals to the guitars, and the melodies are straight from the pop playbook. This EP seems to be somewhat of a return to form after Hate, and it definitely resulted in a more enjoyable listening experience for me.

"Stranded" is a harder offering on this EP, with moody guitars and the most screaming vocals of any song here. "Nowhere Fast" is a nice slower-paced and softer song that serves as a bit of an interlude to the album. This is probably the softest track on any of the three EPs and I found it pretty strong. The title track "Hope" I found unoriginal, with some overused melodies and lyrics about having hope while missing home when on tour.

"Vandemonium" is an equal parts cheesy and endearing track about friendship and the bond between the band members as they travel around the country in a van. The EP closes with "Chemicals," which is the most propulsive song on the EP. It has a driving beat and a classic catchy Hawthorne Heights chorus. It's a nice way to close out the EP and left me enticed to check out the final EP in the trilogy.



Hurt
This EP was released in 2015 and was actually a bit removed from the first two, which launched in 2011 and 2012. It seems that the band took a break from the EP trilogy to release their full-length album Zero before returning to this project to finish off the trilogy with Hurt. We get the third and final part of the "There Was a Kid" suite of songs kicking off the proceedings, and this time some hardcore screaming vocals accompany the familiar guitars and spoken vocals. However, the spoken vocals are less Butthole-adjacent this time around, and a bit more melodic.

"The Darkest Times" follows, and is immediately harder than most of Hope. This is a pretty good showcase of Hawthorne Heights' strengths, with a heavy breakdown and dueling screamed and clean vocals. "Common Crook" is another strong song in a similar vein, and it seems that Hawthorne Heights may have settled into a signature sound that suits them well. I would be interested to hear if this is something that they captured on Zero and continued into this EP. Hurt also has the most professional-sounding production of any of the three EPs.

I'm probably going to say less about the specific songs on this EP than either of the other two, and that is because while the first two EPs sounded like a band experimenting with a number of different sounds, this one sounds like a mature, confident band that knows where its strengths are and is cranking out some of its strongest material. Every song on here is really impressive, and I can say this is easily my favorite Hawthorne Heights release out of the four that I've reviewed for @JediMasterKevo182. The choruses are melodic and skillfully sung, the music is crisp and interesting, and the heavy parts and screaming vocals are well-placed for effect and change of pace. I am genuinely impressed with this EP. Some of the hooks kind of reminded me of Yellowcard, which I wouldn't have expected, but the sound suits Hawthorne Heights well.

I'm not sure I can even pick a favorite track on this EP, because there isn't one track that stands clearly above the others. I will say, though, that "Hurt" broke the trend of the title track on each EP being my least favorite song on the release. "Hurt," unlike "Hate" and "Hope," is a very solid song and serves as an excellent centerpiece to this EP. "Bury My Bones at Crystal Cove" is a pretty kickass song to close out this trilogy of EPs.

Listening to these three EPs was a pretty cool experience, and it was nice to get a kind of condensed tour through the recent evolution of Hawthorne Heights with these three 30-minute releases. I definitely enjoyed each EP more than the preceding one, and I was honestly super impressed with Hurt. This sounds like a band firing on all cylinders and it's hard not to appreciate it. In my estimation, this band has come a long way in the past 10 years. I'm now firmly on the hype train for their new album due out this year. Thanks @JediMasterKevo182!

 

Great reviews and I am glad you enjoyed Hurt as much as I did.

 

Starset: Vessels

(Yes, I know this review is early, but I was too excited to wait.) I wasn't too sure what I was going to hear going into this, but the one track I heard prior to agreeing to trade a second album sold me on it right away. It really reminded me of a more dramatic Conditions, and I love (and miss) Conditions.

The instrumentation was simply gorgeous. I heard everything from synths to strings to brass to delicate piano to heavy guitars. (These are all things I greatly enjoy.) The "spacey" feel, mixed in with the more aggressive style, was really cool, and reminded me of Anakin.

It tends to take me weeks to fully pick up on lyrics (even though I consider lyrics to be a big part of why I love various songs), but the lyrics I did hear were great. I also really enjoyed the melodies used. The vocals were very good too - the vocalist can often make or break a band for me. I quite enjoyed his voice, with and without the "vocoder" usage. (I always enjoy that effect when it's done well.)

If I have to find something I could do without, it was the screaming (in some places). I can only take that in small doses, since I much prefer "clean" vocals. With that being said, it was not excessive or too out of place when it showed up. I assume some people may be put-off by the assorted instrumental bits at the end of some songs, but I quite enjoyed that.

After a brief introduction with "The Order," "Satellite" picks up right away and gives the listener a decent idea about the sound of the whole album, with the exception of the heavier parts. Almost all of the instruments and effects found their way into the song. "Frequency" has a more "spacey" feel than its predecessor, and it also incorporates some screaming. "Die for You" has a really catchy melody and is an example of a track whose lyrics I can already pick out. "Ricochet" (not a song title you'll see very often) was my first Starset song and may just be my favorite - it has a little bit of everything from this album! "Starlight" starts out quite subdued with a lot of strings, but it picks up rather quickly with some really powerful drums and then synths. "Into the Unknown" has some really gorgeous musical parts (as well as some screaming), "Gravity of You" has a bit of screaming, but I actually enjoyed it here - the back and forth from quiet to loud was a nice use of dynamics. "Back to the Earth" is really dramatic and is tied with "Ricochet" as my top favorite - there's brass! "Last to Fall" is another really spacey track, and is pretty catchy. Its instrumental outro is really cool. "Bringing It Down" is another favorite (though it does have a bit of screaming at points) - I just love the guitars (they remind me of Evanescence a bit). "Unbecoming" is really catchy and has some awesome lyrics. "Monster" has some really cool strings in the background. "Telepathic" also has some awesome strings and a fantastic beat! "Everglow" is a fitting closer, with an enjoyable instrumental outro.

Verdict: 9.5/10

Favorite tracks: Satellite, Ricochet, Gravity of You, Back to the Earth, Bringing It Down, Unbecoming, Monster, Telepathic (yes, over half of the album)

Reminds me of: Conditions, Sleeping Wolf, AVOX, Anakin, Evanescence, and Eiffel 65/Bloom 06.



(Thanks for sharing this one - I can't get enough of it! I now have another band to keep tabs on! I look forward to hearing their first album (soon) and any albums they release in the future.)

 

This was amazing. Cool that you went the extra mile with that additional EP, and I loved watching your progression of liking each EP, and noting their strengths. Especially the glowing review of HURT. That was awesome, and I agree with everything you said.

Welcome to the Bad Frequencies hype train :). Great job man

 

Wow! Great first review and welcome!

 

I guess I should listen to Starset since everyone seems to be loving it.

 

Woah!!! Dude as far as first reviews go, your length of lurking here seems to have paid off because you NAILED this. Such a good first job, and I am beyond thrilled that you liked that album so much! :) I’m seeing them live on Thursday, I’ll be sure to let you know how it is

 

These sound like great albums and I need to check them out. I am surprised you gave them both mid range numbers considering how well you seemed to like them. Great job as always.

 

Thanks, folks! Still so stoked on this album - I've heard it 10 times already, lol!

 

Great reviews! I am glad you got to experience some Mutemath. Armistice is probably my favorite from them, but the self-titled and Odd Soul are both freakin' amazing as well, and they each have their own unique flavor. I thought your review really hit the nail on the head, the songs are grand and layered and super well thought-out. Good stuff.

Also really cool to see the review of Citizen, which is one of my underappreciated favorites. The album is just wall-to-wall sincere, catchy pop/alt-rock with a nice blend of heavy hitters and softer fare. I'm really surprised this album didn't propel the band to a more established career, especially after they were signed to Doghouse. Of course, I may be a bit biased because I am from the Baltimore/DC area and I saw them at a handful of hometown shows. "Meet You at the Mouth" is a jam and a half.

 

You really should :) @Davjs liked them too he just hasn’t posted his reviews yet

 

This may be one of my favorite posts in all of CMCS right now lol

 

I also have Starset on my list of albums to check out due to all the praise they've been receiving in these parts.

 

P.O.S
Never Better
2009



The second album that @ugman_2000 assigned to me was the album Never Better by P.O.S (the other album was Boysetsfire's album The Misery Index: Notes From The Plague Years which I've already written about).

Going into this session, I had heard of P.O.S but I had never checked out any of his material before. I knew that he was a hip hop artist and that was the extent of my knowledge. Prior to listening to this album, I did a little background research to see what I was getting into. I found that Never Better was his third full-length album and that he was a founding member of the Minneapolis based indie hip hop collective Doomtree. At the time of Never Better's release, Doomtree had released one album (their 2008 self-titled debut) to moderate critical acclaim. I also discovered that P.O.S in/has been involved in several other side projects with roles including guitarist, vocalist, and keyboardist. From what I read, these side projects range from punk to electronic. Needless to say, P.O.S has a wide-ranging, diverse set of skills.

Never Better begins with Let It Rattle, which is one of my favorite tracks on the album. It's immediately apparent that P.O.S has a unique delivery and there is definitely some clever wordplay on this album (such as the Mitch Hedberg reference in this track; other tracks make pop culture references ranging from AC Slater in Saved By The Bell to Ichabod Crane in The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow).

I don't listen to much hip hop, so I really can't delve into much from a technical standpoint, but I do know that the music was catchy and I enjoyed the beats. Out of the album's 17 tracks (spanning nearly an hour in length), P.O.S is credited as the producer on 10 of them. A lot of the beats and music veers more into alternative/rock territory and Wikipedia's genre classification of alternative hip hop seems to be pretty apt. Lyrically, the album is pretty strong and touches on a wide range of themes ranging from domestic violence (Been Afraid) to racism (Out Of Category).

While I thought everything was well done, from the lyrics to the vocals to the instrumentation/beats, this is probably not an album that I will go back to as often as others. That's absolutely not to say that it's not a good album, but that has to do more with my personal music preferences. I would certainly recommend P.O.S for fans of hip hop that place a lot of emphasis on lyrics and vocal delivery.

My favorite tracks to date are Let It Rattle, Goodbye, Been Afraid, Low Light Low Life, Terrorish, and The Brave And The Snake.

That you @ugman_2000 for the solid recommendations this past session! I hope to be paired with you again in the future :)

 

Great review and I’m glad you gave the album a good go @bachna84. I’m happy that I gave you something out of your comfort zone as most my recs in this thread so far have been fairly matched to peoples tastes. It’s one of my favourite hip hop albums so I’m happy you at least found it enjoyable even if you prob won’t go back to it

Also I’m still listening to Sunbather lots so great work with that one.

 

Yeah, it's a really solid album and I'm not saying that I'll NEVER go back to it! Definitely a bit outside of my comfort zone though, which is a probably a good thing!

 

My first record of two that was assigned to me from @sophos34 was Frameworks- Smother

This was a band that I had heard the name of, but never actually listened. I saw the album artwork and recognized @sophos34 having it as an avatar for a while. As if that was not enough to get me hyped up for the record, he also added "They're one of the few modern post hardcore bands that gives me the same emotional resonance my favorite older post hardcore bands always gave me growing up"

The record starts with an urgency in both the vocals and the music as I expect from the genre. I absolutely love post-hardcore in general as a genre, and this record did not disappoint. It was relentless and didn't really leave a lot of room for breathing as they tore through the tracks. The lead guitar seemed to really carry a lot of the songs, and almost acted as the "catchy" aspect to the band. Initially when the "Interlude" track up about 2/3 of the way through the record, my initial reaction was a little disappointed. I didn't think it added much in its simplicity, and I didn't think it was needed. I was wrong when the next track "Trite" started up. It was the most intense moment in the record, and the following two tracks "Tangled" and "The New Narcissistic American Dream" added on to where "Trite" started. The last 3 tracks following the "Interlude" truly felt like a new piece to the record. In listening, I feel like the first 2/3 of the record is their standard set, with "Interlude" - "The New Narcissistic American Dream" acting as their encore.

The record reminded me of early Touche Amore, and a lot like The Tropic Rot-era Poison The Well

Incredible record, thank you for the recommendation @sophos34

Favorite Tracks: Fear Of Missing Out, Tinnitus, Trite, Tangled, The New Narcissistic American Dream

 

So glad you love it, I knew you would

 

P.O.S. is fantastic! Nice recommendation @ugman_2000

 

I'm really curious how the other one is gonna go over