Music crossword

So, as it regrets me to inform you, the other guy has gone ahead and let work pile up on top of him. Who cares if it was thrown upon him at the last minute with no warning? He should've seen it coming and done it all beforehand! I mean, what kind of a lazy bum doesn't predict the work he's going to receive? Seriously now!

So, in an effort to distract you all from the fact that he hasn't had time to update, I did a crossword with a music theme, available for download. It was made with Open Office Calc (equivalent of Microsoft Excel), so it's in .ods format for download. Hopefully that will keep anyone who's paying attention to this blog at bay while we stall for time. It's not that we don't like doing this! It's that, well, he's a lazy bastard. (Okay, not really, but still.)

Tech Check-Up

For those who are checking Manus on a regular basis, I am posting this as a request for new features.  If you have any ideas on what should be on the Blog, from a new design to a small new feature, add it in the comments and I will implament it.  The blog is rolling and it isn't my job to add content, but if there is a technological issue, let me know.

~Wayfarer

MP: Ghostland Observatory - delete.delete.i.eat.meat...

Ghostland Observatory - delete.delete.i.eat.meat...
2005
Trashy Moped Recordings








1. Candy Rider
2. Shoot 'em Down
3. Edge of Town
4. Silver City
5. Cause a Scene
6. Black Box
7. Rich Man
8. Over Again
9. Best Won't Do
10. Victory Lap
H. Untitled Instrumental Track

ALBUM OVERVIEW

Some of you may be asking, "Hey, you guys said you had different tastes in music! How come both albums so far have had the same rating?" To this, I reply: shut up. But in a more serious vein, that's because, for our beginnings of this blog, we wanted to start out on a strong, positive note so as not to seem like regular jackasses that know nothing about music (which is only true for Mr. Can't-play-an-instrument-and-compensates-by-playing-Guitar-Hero-really-well; I have at least an intermediate education in music). But we are certain to disagree on our review of this album, the main reason being I hate techno. I hate odd unclassifiable electronica that kind of sounds like techno but really isn't even more. And I also hate obnoxious vocals, uninteresting and/or boring melodies, and generally poor-quality music. I think the things I liked about this album stopped with the rear cover of the album, which is unfortunate because a) Google images didn't have it after a brief look and b) that doesn't make it worth buying the album. But I am getting ahead of myself. I'll submit myself to the pain that is an actual song-by-song overview, but don't expect too much that wasn't in this sum-up.

1. Candy Rider

Hm...okay, let's pop this cd in and...OH MY GOSH OBNOXIOUS OVERUSED RHTYHM ATTAAAAAAAAAACK *ear gauging* Okay, maybe it wasn't THAT bad, but the opening of this song left little reason to keep listening. I appreciate the mood the vocals attempt (repeat, attempt) to convey in this song, but they fail. The instrumental arrangement of this song is repetitive and boring, though there are remnants of what may have been a catchy hook in there. As this album goes, this is one of the less-sucky tracks. And...oh wait, it's over? MAN that's a friggin short song. Let's hope the rest are somewhat longer.

2. Shoot 'em Down

This song is almost the same as the last one, but wait! What's this? An attempt at unusual harmonies with the synthesizer? My goodness, what did I do to get graced by this! Oh wait, more obnoxious vocals. Nevermind. One other note on this song: the synth line at times is also reminiscent of a 70s or 80s style pop song. That was kind of nifty. But not enough to compensate.

3. Edge of Town

More of the same with less originality. Vocals are sparse and uninteresting, and the instrumental sections are boring and without merit. Entirely too short as well.

4. Silver City

What's this? A different tempo? So far, these guys have as many diverse tempos as power metal bands!* Oh wait, the vocals still suck. But they're distorted now, so they suck more. At least this song is of a somewhat proper length, clocking in at four minutes. And even then it manages to die before going anywhere. Arguably for this band, though, less is more.

5. Cause a Scene

And back to tempo one. I actually liked the buildup to this song (approximately the first minute), but then again the vocals come in and ruin it. And after the vocals come in, the rest of the song says "hell with it" and starts sucking as well. Oh well. What can you do? At least that guitar riff-type-thing in the middle was kind of cool. Five whole seconds. Woooo.

6. Black Box

Okay, I'm going to change stances at this point. This song is not short ENOUGH. And if I'm saying that about a 3.75 minute song, it must be BAD.

7. Rich Man

At this point in the album, I've almost stopped listening to it entirely. It's just boring, obnoxious, and the same, this song being no exception. I'm tempted to type "see review for song X" instead of this short paragraph to save time, but I'll save that just in case we review a DragonForce album.**

8. Over Again

This song might be able to pass as a Minutes to Midnight-era Linkin Park song, as it has a more alternative feel than the rest of the album. But it's still incredibly sub-par and without any merit. My review of the vocals is implied at this point.

9. Best Won't Do

This song's title certainly expresses my main sentiment about this album. The introduction to this song left me with some hope that it might make up for the rest of the album, but once again, I was let down by the vocals. If the vocals had been sung more melodically and the instrumental backing rearranged, this song could've been somewhat good. What an unfortunate miscalculation. It's also worth noting that I've resorted to reading xkcd while listening to this album at this point.

10. Victory Lap

And just when I thought there was nothing worth listening to on this album, I hear the opening notes of "Victory Lap." It's amazing what writing an instrumental can do to a band; without any vocals to rely on, it forces them to think about how they actually SOUND. And in this case, the result is actually a passable instrumental that I might voluntarily choose to listen to on occasion. Amazing what a band can do when they focus on it.

H. Untitled Instrumental Track

Though not as good as "Victory Lap," this instrumental is also passable, if somewhat more repetitive. If these guys recorded an entire album like these last two tracks, I'd rush to buy it.

FINAL RATING: 1/5

Credit for the effort guys, but better luck next time. Just not enough stuff worth listening to here.

BEST TRACKS:

Victory Lap, Untitled Instrumental Track

*Two.
**Admit it. All DragonForce songs sound the same.

Machinae Supremacy- Fury Review

Album Overview

Well, the best way to start this review is to announce that Machinae Supremacy is one of my favorite bands ever. I was first introduced to them a year or two ago, while surfing the internet, and since I have seeded them about like a metallic plague, spreading their music to all of my friends. They play alternative metal with varied techno influences, primarily from their use of a SID station (Sound Interface Device) in their songs. They call this blend “SID Metal”, which is an apt and self-explanatory title. I personally believe that some of their songs incorporate power metal themes, of which I am a huge fan, but they aren’t “officially” recognized as such a band. Regardless, their uplifting and headbanging music has touched my heart, and I urge you to go and listen to this album, which is some of their best music up for free download on their website. That’s right, free download. www.machinaesupremacy.com.

Go on, take a listen. The review will still be here when you get back.

1. Bouff

Machinae supremacy starts the album off with a high-energy instrumental which immediately draws attention to both their strong metal and their SID sampling. While slightly repetitive, it’s a short and fun blast of energy to get you into a good mood to enjoy the rest of the album. A solid song.

Soundtrack to the Rebellion

Unlike the previous instrumental, Soundtrack to the Rebellion includes the vocals of singer Robert Stjärnström. He has a very unique voice, which I personally enjoy quite a bit. Some may disagree, but I think it fits with the band’s unique sound. The song is pretty good, but not spectacular. True, it is very good, but it just didn’t immediately grab me or shake me like some of the other tracks.

Legion of Stoopid

This was one of the first songs I had ever heard by Machinae Supremacy. Its fun and a little silly, but I personally find the sound a bit discordant and difficult to listen to. I blame this on the drums crashing a bit too often, which I dislike. The guitar solo towards the end almost makes the entire song worth it, but I find that the drums detract from much of the music here. Nothing personal against their drummer; he’s very good and definitely nails his part in the rest of their songs. I just dislike the way the drums were written in this particular track.

Multiball

I agree with Phelpsie’s thoughts that the beginning of the song has a “military” feel. The rest of the song becomes a nice instrumental, which I find to be a little subdued and uninteresting compared to the rest of their songs. Maybe that’s a bad word choice for the song, but it was a bit underwhelming for me. For a short spot in the middle of the song they bring on the chugging guitar that you may know from such thrash that Phelpsie referenced in his review. I don’t feel as though it works with the rest of the piece, however, and I think they could have replaced it with the much more interesting riffs of the rest of the track. The length was also an issue for me. It feels like the song should end somewhere around the four minute mark, but it keeps on going for another two minutes. It’s a bit weird, considering the last two minutes was my favorite part of the song, but I felt the song dragged on a bit longer than it should have. Overall, it’s one of my less favorite songs on the album.

Hubnester Inferno

I actually liked this song. The riff that Phelpsie said was “grungey” is anything but in my opinion, and I felt it was the best part of the song. The vocals are, however, a little poor in spots, but I don’t think they ruined the song entirely. Unlike pretty much all the rest of their songs, this one uses an acoustic guitar alongside the drums and base, and with the SID sampling it sounds quite distinct from the rest of their sound. Perhaps I am alone in this, but I would not mind to hear more songs like this one from the band.

Loot Burn Rape Kill Repeat

Short and sweet, although that isn’t quite the proper word to convey the thrashing metal inherent in this song. While the opening is soft and soothing, it builds the feeling of ease only to have the rest of the song bring it crashing around you. One of the better instrumentals on the album, even though it’s length brings it in as the shortest song of all. I always want just a bit more after listening to this song, which is in itself both a good thing, and a problem.

Fury

The namesake song of the album is a fantastic power metal track that absolutely is one of my favorites on the album. I’m a huge power metal fan, and Machinae Supremacy nails it in this song with great vocals alongside great guitar. Maybe it’s a bit “unimpressionable” musically, but amongst comparable power metal, it definitely stands out to me. For anyone out there who enjoys a good epic metal piece, this song is definitely a high note.

Steve’s Quest

There’s a good handful of Machinae Supremacy songs involving a “Steve”, and they’re all very upbeat and fun songs, even if they aren’t all instrumentals like this one. This one heavily uses the SID station, and it makes the song very nostalgic and happy, in my view. I can imagine skipping down the sidewalk while listening to this song, old-school gameboy in my pocket, charged up and ready to while away the long summer hours. While it isn’t one of my favorite songs, Steve’s Quest is definitely a good one and worth a listen. Or two.

Sidology Episodes I-III

These three songs clock in at over twenty-five minutes total, an instrumental epic several years in the making. Each of the three parts can stand on it’s own as a great song, and together they create a trinity of instrumental amazement. Okay, that’s a bit silly and melodramatic, but after listening to these songs you’ll agree. I only felt a lot of repetitiveness in episode three, but the high-speed happiness of the track forgives it this indiscretion. It might seem impossible, but the almost thirteen minute second episode is the most varied of all three, and shows off many different sounds all in the same piece. While I have Sidology separated into its three parts on my iPod, Phelpsie has them all combined into a super-track merely called “Sidology”, forcing one to listen through the entire epic at once. A harrowing journey, I am sure, and one that I have undertaken on many an occasion. As a whole, I would say that Sidology is my favorite super-track on the album, and my highest recommendation to those who want to take in all of Machinae Supremacy’s unique sound in one sitting.

My overall impression is very good on this album. It’s a shame that this band is still so underground, but perhaps that helps them keep out the riff-raff at their live performances, ensuring only the real fans of the music get a chance to see them. Even with my admitted bias towards the band, I still give this album a conservative 4 out of 5.

MP: Machinae Supremacy - Fury

Machinae Supremacy - Fury
2002 - 2007
Independently released online









1. Bouff
2. Soundtrack to the Rebellion
3. Legion of Stoopid
4. Multiball
5. Hubnester Inferno
6. Loot Burn Rape Kill Repeat
7. Fury
8. Steve's Quest
9. Sidology 1
10. Sidology 2
11. Sidology 3

Firstly, I'd like to apologize for the large delay between the previous posts. Personal problems cropped up at the wrong time and caused an untimely delay that we will strive to avoid in the future.
And on a musical note, if you like Rickrolling idiots but need something original, check this out. It's the voice actor from Looking for Group "Dick rolling." Get back all of those jerks who Rickroll you while you're half asleep!
And without further ado, onto the music!

ALBUM OVERVIEW

So Machinae (pronounced ma-SHEEN) Supremacy label themselves as "SID Metal," using the soundchip from the Commodore 64 to produce the video game-like sounds in their music (which is essentially power metal). More succinctly, it's power metal on 'roids. Or LSD. One of the two. Anyway, the first time I heard this band was when Pipedream sent me a link to their webpage. He told me to listen to this song by them, and I thought it was pretty awesome. Only later did I find out it had been a metalized Britney Spears cover. That's how awesome these guys are: they make BS (pun totally intended) sound good. Specifically to this album, this is a compilation of material they released through their website while promoting themselves and gaining popularity. It is still free to download, along with other material by them. Generally, this album compiles their more complex and less straightforward pieces, including many instrumentals, which I am partial too. w00t.

1. Bouff

Nothing like an upbeat instrumental to begin an album (how every one should start in my opinion). The meter in the "theme" of this piece is a awkwardly added to and sometimes the piece can get repetitive, but the sheer sonic force of this track makes it great to listen to. The guitar solo is interesting, but not necessarily anything of note. Overall, this track is solid, but not special.

2. Soundtrack to the Rebellion

The album actually begins to move with the second piece. The mellow introduction is unusual for Machinae Supremacy, but sets up the rest of the piece well. The riff is catchy and strong. Additionally, this is the first chance we get to hear Robert Stjärnström's (try saying THAT five times fast) vocals. Some may find his vocals too whining or weak, but he certainly is confident with his voice. Thankfully for him, this brings out his stronger aspects. The guitar solo in this piece is also stronger than Bouff's, though still of little note. The modulation at the last verse is unexpected but strong and serves only to enhance this already strong piece. The "angelic" backing and layered vocals also work well with one another. The piece concludes oddly, however, with a classically themed SID clip. This track is my favorite of the album. It's strong from start to finish and does not disappoint.

3. Legion of Stoopid

Another deviation from the standard Machinae Supremacy sound, it is evident where this piece is headed from its comedic introductory riff. Like the preceding song, its structure and riff are both strong, though this piece carries the extra burden of sounding comedic at the same time. The vocals in the repeating section could be stronger, but that is able to be overlooked. Unlike the last two pieces, the guitar solo in this piece actually presents something strong and powerful, contrasting well with the "circus theme" that appears after it. My only qualm is with the ending hits, as they seem a little too forced. Other than that, this is another strong piece to add to the album.

4. Multiball

The introduction of this song always makes me think of something military. Then the two cords hit, and I imagine a crappy fight scene instead. But moving along, Machinae Supremacy is back to instrumentals with this one. This instrumental is much stronger than Bouff. In this song I love how the changes in style and power don't affect the flow of this song; it always feels like a continuous piece. There are also hints of thrash metal hiding in this song, sometimes reminiscent of Orion (by Metallica). Sometimes the piece seems forced to continue rather than just ending, but it is not very noticeable. A nice change of pace.

5. Hubnester Inferno

The beginning of this song sounds more like a grunge piece than metal, and the rest of the piece follows suit. It has a generally lighter feel than the rest of the album, the acoustic guitar playing no small part. Unfortunately, this song is hindered a lot by the vocals. They are too harsh sounding for this song and drag it down in spots. After a run of stronger tracks, it's only natural to have something of a throw-away follow.

6. Loot Burn Rape Kill Repeat

Another instrumental piece, this one begins a lot lighter than the title would impress you to think. The choral and orchestral backing are used to great effect on this piece, and the small style change around 1:43 strengthens the piece. The guitars are wailing away on this one, and well at that. Though this piece is short, it leaves you feeling empowered. I wanted more from this piece, but what was given was amazing in its own right.

7. Fury

I really don't like this piece much. While there generally isn't much to complain about in terms of strength or sound, the overall piece is just without an impression. It sounds like the power metal pieces the average person would expect to hear. It's okay, but not particularly interesting.

8. Steve's Quest

Just from the title on this one, you can tell it's a lighter piece. I mean, who's ever heard of the valiant quest of a guy named Steve? And if you actually read that far into it, you're a major geek (I have a license for this). This instrumental is very upbeat and the adjective "jaunty" pops into my head for reasons unknown. Though there are a few interesting chord choices in the main theme, this piece generally is what you expect and nothing more. Opposing Fury, this happens to work in the favor of this piece. Stronger than some of the other stuff on this album. Also, for those of you keeping score at home, exactly half of the tracks up to this point have been instrumental. Don't tell me that isn't awesome. And more is still to come.

9 - 11. Sidology

As far as I know, this is Machinae Supremacy's only epic, and it's a 20+ minute power-driven instrumental. Though I appreciate the guts it takes to write a 20 minute epic (let alone an instrumental one), this song suffers from the expected repetition syndrome. Though strictly it doesn't repeat sections that often, it can cause the listener to zone out on occasion, giving it the feeling as if it were repeating itself. That being said, there are definitely strong aspects here, as well as a few easter eggs. Anyone who did their homework on old video game music should recognize some of the tunes used. Some come in quick succession (like the insert from Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda) and are tough to pick out, while others (like F-Zero) have sections devoted to their theme. An interesting piece in construction and execution, the only flaw in this song (droning), was inherent from its conception. Sidology is stronger than it was expected to be.

FINAL RATING: 4/5

I think I've used the word "strong" about 50+ times in this review, and that's the easiest way to sum up the album. There are few weak tracks here, and the ones that are can still hold their own. Even better, since it's free to download, there's nothing to lose but disc space by getting it. Definitely check this one out.

BEST TRACKS:

Soundtrack to the Rebellion, Legion of Stoopid, Loot Burn Rape Kill Repeat, Sidology, Multiball

The Tea Party The Edges of Twilight Review

Album Overview

Well, The Tea Party certainly has a very unique sound. It has hints of industrial, mixed with what I am told is “world rock”. The Arabian sound that Phelpsie doesn’t like calling Arabian is very unique, and they mix it well with the rest of their instruments. Overall, they are a great band, particularly if you enjoy the sound of their Middle Eastern musical roots.

Okay, enough of that. Album overviews are boring. Let’s get on with the music.

1. Fire In The Head

The Tea Party’s industrial sound is much more prominent in this song than any other on the album. The beginning of this song is a soft acoustic guitar, like many Tea Party songs. It grows louder and more industrial towards the middle of the song, and smoothly changes between the two sounds across the rest of the song. The end of the song draws out a bit longer than it should, but it doesn’t ruin the rest of the track. I thought the song was a good listen, and enjoyed it greatly.

2. The Bazaar

I loved this song. Even before I heard the title I had visions of a Middle Eastern bazaar straight out of old movies like Aladdin. This fantastic track keeps up the imagery both in the music and in the lyrics, and forms a very vivid mental picture. I am not sure what else to say about this song. I’ll leave it at “very good” and move on.

3. Correspondences

This track brings down the lights a bit on the album, giving us a soft, soothing song that deserves that alliteration. The vocals feel a bit weak at times, but the music does its best to make up for it. The Arabian/Middle Eastern sound is much less apparent in this song than the earlier two, and it feels more like a blues song. The only problem I have with this song is the length. I dislike songs longer than four or five minutes because a frequent problem they have is repetition. At some points it feels almost as if I had accidentally started the song over, because it begins to repeat itself. Apart from that minor qualm, I enjoyed this song.

4. The Badger

I am not sure why this song is named after a small irate mammal, but it was a good track nonetheless. The entire song is a soft acoustic guitar, and has no traces of any of The Tea Party’s other musical themes. It’s a quick, refreshing listen, but it’s not particularly interesting.

5. Silence

The beginning of the song is a bit obnoxious, but I actually enjoyed the rest of the song. It had a strong Middle Eastern flavor, like The Bazaar, and I actually liked the vocals on this track. A winner in my book, despite the annoying honking instrument.

6. Sister Awake

A soft, Indian sounding song, that stands out from the last track. It changes greatly over the course of the five minute play time, but keeps the same sounds and themes that The Tea Party uses so much. Very enjoyable, and one of the best songs on the album.

7. Turn The Lamp Down Low

Slow and subdued, like Sister Awake and The Badger, I thought this song was nice and soothing. The lyrics are quite strange at times, and Phelpsie and I decided that it was one of those songs where the lyrics might mean something, but they probably don’t. This did not inhibit my enjoyment of the song until the end, which breaks form with the rest of the song by getting louder and harder on the ears. I disliked the last parts of the song, but I greatly enjoyed the first two and a half minutes.

8. Shadows on the Mountainside

A quiet song. Not very much to say about it. I didn’t find it particularly interesting, but it also wasn’t that bad. Not good enough to boost the overall grade of the album, but not bad enough to reduce it.

9. Drawing Down the Moon

A very industrial song, it stands out dramatically from the previous tracks. Drawing Down the Moon is the heaviest song on the album, while still maintaining some of the more melodic facets of the Tea Party. Despite that, this song isn’t that great. It’s good for the industrial fans in the audience, but even for them, it’s merely an average song at best.

10. Inanna

This song starts off soft and showing off their world rock aspect, and progresses into a more industrial sound towards the end. An alright song, but it didn’t really interest me very much. Like a handful of other songs on the album, it simply does the same things they’ve been doing well without adding or improving on them. If you really like the Tea Party then you’ll enjoy this song, but it’s not one of their best.

11. Coming Home

A strong Tea Party song and one I enjoyed a lot. Nothing incredible or mind blowing from this one, but it’s very solid.

12. Walk With Me

A fantastic song to wrap up the album with, I give it two thumbs up. A great song to showcase the Tea Party’s sound in this album, it’s a good fusion between their world rock and industrial influences.

12.5 Hidden Spoken Track

Quite poetic, but not very interesting. Perhaps of more interest to someone who enjoys poetry with a soft musical background. I am not one of those people, so this is the first time I sat through the whole thing.

Overall, the Tea Party makes a good showing in this album, but few songs stand out as fantastic. There’s a couple of winners in here, but nothing very special, and a few too many tracks that seemed like some simple filler. I rate it three and a half stars on average, though there were a few songs here that I would have given as high as a four point five individually.

MP: The Tea Party - The Edges of Twilight

The Tea Party - The Edges of Twilight
1995
EMI Music Canada/Chrysalis Records







1. Fire in the Head
2. The Bazaar
3. Correspondences
4. The Badger
5. Silence
6. Sister Awake
7. Turn the Lamp Down Low
8. Shadows on the Mountainside
9. Drawing Down the Moon
10. Inanna
11. Coming Home
12. Walk With Me
H. Unnamed Spoken Word Track

Okay, I originally wrote something thought-out and well-written for the first post introduction, talking about my friend and I and how we got into music and how our tastes vary, but then I thought, "hey, to hell with that." So instead, sit down, shut up, and read our blog.

ALBUM OVERVIEW

For our first album review, we decided to pick an album and artist we were both somewhat familiar with. The first thing you'll notice when you're listening to The Tea Party is that they don't sound like any other hard rock band you've heard before. No other band can combine elements from straight-up hard rock with hints of progressive and world music better than these guys can. If I had to describe their sound in one word, it would be "that word that describes something 'Arabian' or more generally Middle Eastern without being stereotypical about it." I have no idea what such a word might be, so I'm just going to call it "that sound" for the rest of this entry. Deal with it.

1. Fire in the Head

This album starts of very strongly. The beginning riff of this song is typical for The Tea Party; many of their songs start out with a simple acoustic melody. The other thing immediately noticeable here is their lead vocalist's lack of range. Though this may be a problem for other bands, TTP works it to their advantage; his sometimes atonal voice fits the mood set by the song well. Also typical for TTP is their use of slight rhythmic deviations. Often, TTP does not write entire songs in odd time signatures, but instead throws in or removes an extra beat in recurring places. Overall this song is a strong rocker, but the ending never sounds good to me. That is the only thing I find fault with on this otherwise excellent track.

2. The Bazaar

The second track on this album is also very strong. This one is more melodic than the previous track; their singer also gets more melody into his voice. I also love the introduction to this song. It leaves you little indication of where the rest of the piece is going and yet manages to mesh in with the main theme surprisingly well. I especially enjoy the reiteration of the introduction theme partway through the song. There isn't much to say about this track other than it's a generally solid rocker.


3. Correspondences

Following up two high-energy tracks is a more mellow ballad-style track. Unfortunately, this is the track where TTP's lead singer's limitations is thrust in the spotlight. The opening vocals aren't as strong as I'd like them to be, but the intended effect is still achieved somewhat. Other than that, this track is one of my absolute favorites. The part that draws me in is the first playing of the chorus' theme. Even though the chorus is written in the odd combination of 7+8, TTP makes it seem so natural that the casual listener scarcely notices. The guitar solo after the first chorus is also done really well. The second guitar solo's distortion can sometimes get in the way of the mood, but this is made up for by their vocalist's triumphant domination of the final chorus. All in all, this song leaves me feeling very emotional at the end, which is how any good piece should conclude. I daresay this is my favorite track on the whole album.

4. The Badger

Though a little repetitive, this acoustic instrumental is a nice deviation from TTP's usual sound. It may be a nice, relaxing listen, but it never really goes anywhere. This is something that occurs more than once on this album, but can usually be overlooked.

5. Silence

I really dislike this track. It starts off obnoxiously and the vocals just don't work. Though there are parts of this track that are okay, I just can't listen far enough into it to get to them. The first few seconds just turn me away.

6. Sister Awake

Fortunately, this piece more than makes up for the last piece's pure crap. The intro is one of the prime examples of "that sound" on this album. The tempo change around 1.5 minutes in is very effective, as is the instrumental section that follows it. After yet another tempo change, we arrive at the main theme, which makes good use of the instrument that butchered the last piece. This piece is the one that tells me TTP has had strong progressive influences. The tempo changes and odd meters are all used to the height of their effectiveness. A great piece.

7. Turn the Lamp Down Low

This piece starts out sounding like an oddly-formed blues rock piece. Unfortunately, it just doesn't grab my attention. The piece takes a while to get to its strong point, and even then it's merely mediocre. Not necessarily bad, but not very strong either.

8. Shadows on the Mountainside

Another acoustic interlude is welcomed after a few harder tracks. Though like its acoustic predecessor 'The Badger' it can be a tad repetitive, it still is a nice change of pace. It again provides a relaxing listen in contrast to the rest of the album, even if it doesn't really go anywhere or get moving.

9. Drawing Down the Moon

This sounds even more blues-rocky than 'Turn the Lamp Down Low,' and can become a little obnoxious because of it. However, I do respect that their guitarist taking more risks with his soloing in this piece, as opposed to close deviations from a constant theme in earlier pieces. Though there are sections of this song that I enjoy, the rest can be hard to listen to.

10. Inanna

This piece is very simplistic. While it's catchy and sounds good, it doesn't really add anything to the album we haven't heard before this point and doesn't go anywhere. This track winds up neutral.

11. Going Home

This piece makes up for the mediocrity rampant in the last few tracks. It starts out strongly and ends strongly. The chorus is powerful, and while the guitar solo could've been more innovative, it is strong as well. There is very little not to love about this song. Perhaps the second verse acoustically was a touch repetitive, but that is easily overlooked. If it weren't for 'Correspondences,' this would be my favorite track on the album.

12. Walk With Me

A piece has to be strong to support a "spacey" introduction. The section leading into the chorus sounds buggy to me, but it's not too noticeable. The chorus is indeed strong, but the piece in general isn't strong enough to be a closing track. 'Going Home' would've been better for this slot in the album.

H. Unnamed Spoken Word Track

As it's a hidden track, I won't judge the album on this track. That being said, it isn't engaging enough for a spoken word track. This piece left me with no impression, which is crucial for the spoken word in particular.

FINAL RATING: 3.5/5

While this album has some amazing tracks, the rest is too mediocre to make up for it. I would recommend it for anyone who wants something different to listen to and willing to take a risk.

BEST TRACKS:

Correspondences, Going Home, The Bazaar, Fire in the Head, Sister Awake