The Chorus Music Club Society • Page 362

@Larry David and I have agreed on a trade for his return to the fold.

He gave me:

Kendrick Lamar- To Pimp A Butterfly

I gave him:

Stonefield- Far From Earth

 

Wow, those are pretty different! Kendrick's album is faaaantastic.

 

The Blacker the Berry is one of my favourite rap songs in years. It's pure anger at racist culture and the end genuinely made my heart drop when I heard it.

"Hypocrite"

the song has also been dissected by a Pulitzer prize winner on Genius so that's cool too.

 

Great review, glad you came to appreciate the album. I love this album/band so much, I hope they put out some more stuff soon as it’s been ages.

 

Nice write-up!

I love this album (and this band) so much! I still wear my NJA t-shirt on pretty much a weekly basis too.

I love the opening 1-2 punch on this album and my other favorite tracks are For The Record and Organ Grinder. The final minute of Organ Grinder is probably my favorite moment on the album.

Rumor has it that they'll be going out on an October/November headlining tour and dates should come out after Warped wraps up.

 

Sorry if this has been mentioned (I've been away for a few days and haven't read everything), but isn't Pentimento still the backing band for Reggie and the Full Effect?

 

Hi @bachna84 welcome back bud

 

Thanks! I was only gone for 4 days but I have a lot of catching up to do (on here, at work, and at home)!

 

Feels like you were gone longer than that lol. Too bad you missed Radiohead eh you could of wrote a review of the show in here!

 

Welcome back I know they were the backing band. I’m not sure if they still are though as I saw they were playing a couple of Pentimento shows not that long ago.

 

I'll do a write-up for my next show! (Alkaline Trio in two weeks)

 

@GBlades and I have exchanged albums for the upcoming session:

I'll be listening to Raleigh Ritchie - You're A Man Now, Boy

He'll be listening to Thrice - Vheissu

 

Awesome Thrice album!

 

@Mister Lyrical @ineverlose Sorry for falling a bit behind - I promise I will get your reviews written ASAP!!!

 

@Colin Your Enthusiasm are you the unofficial cheerleader/lurker of the CMCS? Haha!

 

Yeah pretty much

 

Oh it's official

 

Just finished the new Hopesfall album. Good comeback record. Please tell me I'm not the only one who hears a little Jon Foreman in this dude's voice. It will never happen but would love Switchfoot to do a post-hxc record one day.

 

Last month I was paired with @anonimito in two straight sessions, and in the course of discussing our recs and music in general we agreed upon two bonus trades. This is the first bonus album I was recommended, Darren Hayes' 2004 solo album The Tension and the Spark. I was really excited to hear it because it is @anonimito's favorite album of all time! That is pretty high praise from someone who has very similar musical tastes to me. I reviewed Hayes' fourth album, 2011's Secret Codes and Battleships, a few weeks ago and enjoyed it a lot. The Tension and the Spark is his second solo album and finds him tackling darker subject matter as he was dealing with depression at the time of writing these songs. It also has a bit of a darker electronic feel than Secret Codes, which I was really drawn to.



First track "Darkness" kicks off with an appropriately dark and spacey synth sweep that leads into a washed-out synth line. The music has a kind of underwater sound and Hayes' familiar vocals enter. He definitely sounds a bit wearier on this album, which is immediately noticeable, but it suits him well and it adds emotional weight to these songs.

After half a listen, I had to go back to the beginning of the album and read along with the lyrics. There is so much heartbreaking raw expression in these words. It's really admirable the way Hayes was able to lay out his thoughts and feelings so clearly in these songs, and while it is uncomfortable at times it is an amazing example of honest artistic expression. Hayes plainly states many difficult and negative thoughts that most have us have probably had at one time or another, but would rarely say out loud. And to put that out into public takes incredible strength. I read that this album was received by Hayes' fans more negatively than his first solo album, because of the darker tone and the fact that it was a stylistic shift from his older material. I can imagine that was hurtful for Hayes, after putting so much of himself and his inner turmoil into this collection of songs. Hopefully it has become and will continue to become more widely appreciated with time, because this feels like an album that should be the defining moment in Hayes' career.

I rarely quote lyrics in my reviews, focusing more on the musicality and feel than lyrics, but in this case the lyrics are really the focus of the record. As a result, this review will be a little different for me.

Back to "Darkness." Kicking off the album is probably the most direct expression of Hayes' struggle with depression. The underwater guitars are here along with electronic percussion and synths. The lyrics just floor me.

Ever wonder why I never really truly connect?
Although my eyes are open
I can hold your gaze
But I am never connected
Never connected

I am famous for my generosity
They say I am the kindest
It is easier to give than receive love
Give than receive love

Turning pages over
Run away to nowhere
And it's hard to take control
When your enemy's old and afraid of you
You'll discover that the monster you were running from
Is the monster in you

Amazingly, with impeccable production and dark electronic instrumentation, this song is really catchy and often has me bobbing my head despite the bleak lyricism. This is a common thread in this album. Hayes' voice is still the centerpiece and it carries these songs with power and passion.

The second track "I Like the Way" is about lust and Hayes' internal struggle against temptation.

This physicality
Shifting me chemically
Such power over me
It's just desire
I know it's trickery
I know it's just skin deep
I know I should resist
I'm just too tired
Too tired

There's just one thing missing
One thing missing here is love

The electronic elements are enhanced in this song and synth flickers throughout to create a really entrancing synthpop track.

"Light" is one of the hopeful tracks on the album, where Hayes is addressing someone or something that is helping him emerge from depression. I get a sense that Hayes' is referring to God, but it may very well be another person.

I have been cold, I have been blind
You were sent to change my mind
I can put my faith in you

The next track is a bit of an oddball in that the subject matter doesn't seem to be personal to Hayes, although there may be some autobiographical elements in some of the sexual themes in this track if "I Like the Way" is an indication. "Pop!ular" was a single and it is indeed the most radio-ready song on the album. It is an upbeat track about doing whatever you can to make it in the music business, from sleeping with people to get ahead to "selling out." Hayes paints a picture of a protagonist who has a ravenous desire for success and celebrity. The chorus has a mid-word pause between syllables of "pop . . . ular" that is just great pop songwriting and makes the chorus an engaging listen.

"Dublin Sky" introduces some acoustic guitar for the first time on the album, and is a full-on sad breakup ballad. The interplay between the acoustic guitar, electronic drums, and synths on this track is fantastic.

One of the most immediate choruses on the album can be found in "Hero," which has this great hook that is asking people not to idolize Hayes (or any other public figure, for that matter).

Ladies and gentlemen, listen up please
I don't wanna be your hero
No, I am not open
Parts of me are broken
Do yourself a favor, save yourself
Don't pick me, find someone else

Sometimes you put all of your desires
In an object of affection
But in time, because you idolize
There is only disappointment

"Unlovable" has an 8-bit video game soundtrack style riff, and this is probably the most devastating track on the album lyrically. Hayes uses a fast and almost rap-like cadence while delivering rapidfire words in the verse.

Cynical, jaded, faithless, disappointed, disillusioned, used
If I could take back all my sweat, my tears, my sex, my joy I would
My time, my love, my effort, passion, dedication
In a case of mistaken identity I gave these things to you
I sound angry, bitter, sad, infatuated, it's the truth
Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, just a few
Stages of acceptance that it's really over
It's just so complicated, I'm stupid for believing in you

You make me feel like my father never loved me
You make me feel like the act of love is empty
Am I so unlovable?
Is my skin untouchable?
Do I remind you of a part of you that you don't like?

I had your back, I held you up, I told you you were good enough
It was never reciprocated, you kept affection and then yourself apart
You fed your love to me like crumbs to pigeons in the park
Sometimes I think it satisfied you seeing me begging like a dog
I wasn't armored, you were king, I gave my everything
Because sometimes you showed me just a hint of you within
For just a moment I romanticized the notion
I can take away the torment, I can love you like they never did

"Void" is another heartbreak song, and this is the first time on the album that we get some prominent electric guitars. We also get an interlude with Hayes' voice run through a vocoder, which kind of exemplifies how wide-ranging the production is on these tracks.

I've kissed so many lips it's blocked my mind
I've whispered bullshit nothings
I've cried alone at night
I thought I'd found the one a million times

But doesn't anyone fill the void?
Doesn't anyone kill the joy?
Doesn't anyone take the place of you in my heart?

I let a stranger love me
I gave away my pride
I bit my lips, so I could block my mind
I've called your name to others
Just like a spinal cord
Severed and broken but the spark still tries

The next track "I Forgive You" seems to be Hayes coming to terms with having to forgive someone (presumably an ex-lover) for the hurt that they caused him. Somewhat surprisingly, I think here in track 9 is the first appearance of Hayes' signature falsetto that is so often employed in Savage Garden's music and was also heavily utilized in Secret Codes and Battleships. "Feel" is another optimistic song directed toward another person or God, expressing how getting closer to them has allowed Hayes to emerge from darkness. This is a slow and quiet track with some brooding electronic noises in the outro.

"Love and Attraction" picks up the pace again with synth arpeggios and heavily processed vocals. Hayes laments the difficulty in finding a deserving partner among a swarm of candidates who are not right for him. Probably relatable for many, myself included.

I do not want anyone, anyone who really wants me
Every one that I desire, wants to be with someone else...
I find it so amusing
Isn't that the way it goes? I'm a blip on someone's radar
They don't even catch my eye, I want what I haven't got
Even if it kills me trying

Love and attraction
It's like sex and passion
It's two ends of a spectrum
Are you a friend or a lover?
Now pick one or the other

"Sense of Humor" is the penultimate track and one of the quieter songs on the album. This track may have the most interesting use of synths, as there are many different soft and harder synth sounds that flitter in and out of the track, accenting and adding tasteful emphasis to moments throughout the song. The lyrics read like a fantasy with Hayes captivating someone's heart.

You will like my sense of humor
You will be addicted to my smile
Laughing all the while
And I will end each conversation
I will leave the room with the upper hand
And you will understand

You will find my scent attractive
You will like my real, engaging eyes
And playful, childlike smile
You will find my style appealing
I will overpower you with wits
And I will be a hit

Final track "Ego" is a woozy piano ballad where Hayes is speaking directly to his ego, chastising his own vanity and need for gratification. The final message here is that Hayes is attempting to break free of his ego to maintain a healthier state of mind. It's a simple song, but an important realization for someone who has experienced fame and is going through the struggles that are outlined so clearly on this album. Electronic cymbals crash as a wordless chorus lays the album to rest.

I don't know what else I can say to wrap up this review. I think I've said all the things. Basically, this is a dark synthpop record with raw emotional lyrics that absolutely cannot be ignored when you listen. Hayes commands these songs masterfully with his expressive voice, and despite the subject matter they can be enjoyed as catchy pop songs due to the compelling instrumentation. I've already checked to see if this album is available on vinyl (apparently not, unfortunately). I would have already bought it if so. This album is an hour long, but it never drags. It is well worth your time to check it out, no matter what your tastes are. I hope I did your favorite album justice, @anonimito! It is obvious why you love it!

 

Wow, what a great review! I'm so glad that you enjoyed the album so much! I, too, wish this had been released on vinyl. Maybe it will one day - you never know, but I think Sony/Columbia still has the rights somehow (I'm still so irritated at how that label seemed to try so hard to make this album tank).

I agree that the lyrics are the most important part of this album. Your snippets included some of my favorite lines! That last stanza you mentioned from "Void" just destroys me sometimes.

Thanks for trying the album out - you certainly did it justice!

 

Great review! Wow! @anonimito had me listen to this in a sort of casual trade and I loved it. I need to write a few words about it as well.

 

FTFY

 

The other bonus album I was recommended by @anonimito was Tonic's 2002 album Head on Straight. This is their final album before the long hiatus that would not end until their comeback album in 2010. It is also the album that follows Sugar, which I reviewed last week and really enjoyed due to the surprising amount of variety on the record. I was interested to see if Tonic continued to dip into different styles on this album, or if it was a more streamlined effort. "If You Could Only See" is an incredible and iconic alt rock song, in my opinion. I'm contractually obligated to mention this when I speak of this band.



"Roses" opens the album with some heavy alt-rock riffing and the catchy melodies immediately tell me that I'm in for another treat. This band can write a hook. The prechorus is highly tasty. "Take Me As I Am" is up next and backs off the heaviness for a radio-ready alt-rock track in the vein of Lifehouse. This is the only song I previously knew from this album, as I remember hearing it as a single when the album was first released. It definitely harkens back to the early-'00s alt-rock sound and that is always a sweet sound to me.

The next song "Count on Me (Somebody)" gets gentler still with fingerpicked guitar and some strings in the background that stick out in the mix in the quieter moments. It has a nice guitar solo, and the chorus is sweet, simple, and triumphant. "Do You Know" has a softer verse that explodes into a big chorus with a fast cadence as singer Emerson Hart delivers lines in quick succession. This is an excellent contrast with the held-out notes in the verses.

The sixth track "Liar" is probably the hardest song on the album so far, and Hart has a familiar rock growl in his voice as the guitars turn up the distortion a bit. The drums are working overtime on this song and the vocal performance is particularly powerful. It kind of reminds me of the anthemic quality of some of Fuel's early hits. "On Your Feet Again" is a straightforward rocker with nice call-and-response vocals in the chorus. "Come Rest Your Head" is a bluesy, guitar-driven track with lots of nice lead lines.

"Irish" is near the end of the album, and sounds exactly as the title implies, with the footstomps and chant-along style that wouldn't be out of place on a Flogging Molly album. This is yet another genre that Tonic successfully experiments with, and it makes for an entertaining listen. I believe there are even some bagpipes in the mix that come to the forefront near the end of the song. Final track "Let Me Go" starts off as a ballad with fingerpicked guitar and an aching vocal. The song builds in intensity throughout its six-minute runtime and has this weird fuzzy drum interlude halfway through with vocals low in the mix that give kind of a mumbled effect. The last minute and a half is a cascade of pounding drums, wailing vocals, and riffing guitars. It is a hell of a powerful statement to close out the album, and has a very live and freeflowing feel to it.

In summary, I guess you could say this album is more cohesive than Sugar as it doesn't experiment with so many different styles (though it definitely still has plenty of variation, as "Irish" can attest). Most of these songs are in the straightforward alternative rock vein. This is not a bad thing, as Tonic is excellent at crafting these songs and after several listens multiple tracks were getting stuck in my head. I think if I were to pit them against each other I would say I enjoy Sugar more so far, but thankfully I don't have to do that and I can just enjoy more great Tonic songs, of which there are a bunch on this album.

 

Awesome review! As always, I enjoyed reading your mini-analyses of each track. This album has always been very dear to me, and while it's my top Tonic album, I, too, am very glad that I don't have to choose between them.

So glad you liked it!

 

@marioeatworld recently decided to make a triumphant return to the CMCS, and they recommended me a 2018 album I had never heard of, Everything but the Here and Now by Happy Accidents. Happy Accidents describes themselves, on their Bandcamp page, as a "Noisy pop thing from London." Sounds good to me.



Opener "Nunhead" starts with some lightly distorted electric guitars and a little synth that gives an immediate idea of what this band might sound like. The melodies are catchy and the vocalist, unsurprisingly, has an English accent. The track immediately reminds me a bit of Nightmare of You. Despite being 2.5 minutes long, this song serves as a kind of intro track as it stays pretty restrained until the full instrumentation kicks in in the last 30 seconds. This transitions pretty seamlessly into the fully-electric "Wait It Out," which has a peppy, upbeat chorus with the lyrics that inspired the album title. "A Better Plan" throws a pleasant curveball as a female vocalist takes the lead. The music keeps up its driving nature and she is equally as captivating as the male vocalist from the first two tracks. After doing a bit more research, I found that this band is a trio with siblings Neil and Rich Mandell on bass and guitar, respectively, and Phoebe Cross on drums. Rich Mandell appears to be the male vocalist and Cross the female vocalist. I'm always super impressed by drummers who sing so Phoebe gets much respect from me.

"Act Naturally" follows (after a short interlude track) and immediately grants my wish to have Mandell and Cross sing together on a track. This one features the bass a little bit more, has some nice lead guitar lines, and has some back-and-forth as well as harmonized vocals between the male and female singers. Their voices really compliment each other well. "Free Time" has more dueling vocals and more catchy melodies. The bridge halfway through this song might be my favorite moment on the album. The music quiets down a bit and Mandell (it sounds like possibly both Mandell brothers harmonizing here) delivers kind of stream-of-consciousness lyrics that has this catchy, almost hypnotic flowing rhythm to it. The lyrics are also pretty powerful here about being stuck in a rut.

Something that I only think about from time to time
Is pressing up against my skull and running down my spine
I need an out, I need a break, can someone get me far away
I haven't felt like this for years, or maybe months, or at least days

Do I need something to relax, or just a drastic change of view
A single stroke of luck to keep my face from knocking wood
Or against fist, or against wall, or against anything at all
In the days where I reflect can I expect to see much more?

I am like this am I? This is who I am
Catch myself in my reflection I am taken back
I am like this am I? This is who I am
I don't wanna feel like this forever will there be an end?

"Text Me When You're Home" is an interesting track as it has a heavy guitar intro that takes up almost the first minute of the 2.5-minute track. Cross and Mandell harmonize together with a sing-songy melody for the next minute until some loud guitar chords crash in and the song comes to a close. "Maybe Tomorrow" has one of the better hooks on the album and features a tasteful electric piano solo in the bridge. Closer "Sink" is a softer track with more male/female harmonies and great lyricism.

In summary, this is really solid quirky/poppy/synthy rock, in the vein of Nightmare of You, Motion City Soundtrack, or Wild Party (if you don't know them you should!). Both vocalists are really talented and the interplay between the two voices is excellent. This is definitely in my wheelhouse and I'm surprised I hadn't heard of this album earlier. Thanks for the great rec, @marioeatworld!