Writing On The Blog (See What I Did There?)

I'm not sure when it was. I think back in May perhaps? Possibly June?

Either way, Underoath announced that they were writing new material, and I got ridiculously stoked.

They had a member departure which I won't dwell on now because I didn't dwell on it then, but this combined with their frequent tweets and video updates talking about how amazing this record was going to be had me sitting on the edge of my patience.

Then, the day arrived.

It was out.

I went, and not only did I buy it, but I thought I'd offer even more support than normal and buy the Deluxe edition, since I was so sure this record could potentiall

y change the way I view music.

I'd say November 9th was one of the most disappointing days of this year.

K, total lie. There's been much, much worse this year.

But it probably wins for November.

The album is good, I can't deny that. Spencer's vocals are, well, almost beyond description. The shear range is rather staggering. The electronica elements are much more prevalent and welcome.

I don't really follow guitars, bass or drumming too much, but they also sound nice.

I don't want to go into some bogged down song by song of how this albums doesn't appease; I'd rather just say that it doesn't. In listening to the band, critiques and fans talk about this album, I feel as though I'm missing something. I have yet to see a single negative review of this album, be it amateur or professorial. Maybe it's because I'm not musically trained that I can't appreciate the genius of this album. Maybe it's because lately I've been enjoying my heavy heavier (The Chariot) and my electronica glitchier (Crystal Castles), but this album simply cannot cut it for me.

I never really considered Aaron to be my favorite part of UO, but apparently his influence made this band for me. Their last album, Lost in the Sound of Separation is mindblowingly amazing. It oozes intensity and honesty within a kaleidescope of rawness and visceral power.

Maybe I'll gain an appreciation for it in a few months or years, but for now I will quietly pretend it doesn't exist and wait for their next release.

...

This lovely little picture depicts commonly used words on Underoath's new album (not including common words, such as 'and,' 'to,' and 'I' (which was used 108 times).

...

And as endnotes (because I'm too lazy to re-edit and find where to put these tidbits), I'm also confused by how everyone keeps saying the lyrics on this album are so good. They're, well, bland. Not that they don't get their point across in differing ways, because they do; however, the lyricist seems to be on perpetual downward spiral into the darkness of the human pysche. This can get rather dull very fast.

Also, if Spencer lacked the ability to repeat himself, this album would lose half of it's lyrics.

Also, if I zone out while listening to 'Driftwood,' I start to think my iPod has skipped to Muse.

Just a little fun fact.

The Chariot-Long Live

Every review I've read online about this album starts with some comment of how the album starts with feedback, so I'm starting mine with a comment about how all the reviews start with feedback.

Positive feedback I might add, from both the album and the reviewers. The reviewers give it because they have good taste, and The Chariot gives it because they're The bloody Chariot, and as such they can do as they bloody well please.

Rather than give a break down of each song (see what I did there?), I shall summarize each song with a single syllable: "guh."

This album is just "guh." Now, that really isn't the best way to describe the album, but it is the easiest. It's just so multi-faceted, with so many 'candy' bits (awesome/catchy/high replay value) and bone crunching delivery of shark solid lyrics.

Excerpt:

I saved my money, but it can't save me

Oh how I love it.

The vocalist has expanded his vocal range, and the screaming seems like it has more of a southern drawl in it, a bit like Twelve Gauge Valentine or MATSOD. Only far superior to either.

The two biggest highlights of the album are the songs David De La Hoz and The Heavens, the latter's opening is just brilliant, and the former of which features an awesome guest vocalist with shiver inducing lyrics:

And we can be on fire again, you and I, you want this

Well say what you want, say what you mean

But even picking a 'highlight' feels a tad bizarre, because this entire album is just glowing with ingenuity and raw rawness.

Of course, all that being said, The Chariot is completely insane and probably won't attract everyone. They walk that line of amazingness where their pure power can either be a deterrent or an attraction.

Clearly, I'm attracted, but it won't be everyone's cup of tea.

Disappointed? I KNOW YOU ARE

My Brother and The Dichotomy of Light and Dark

First and most exciting things first, my brother is now engaged. Good on ya mate

(No idea what that means, but it sounds appropriate).

I spent the last three days in his company driving East so he could propose and do some work related stuff, and it was crazy fun.

I forgot my camera in his car, so the photo that I wanted to attach to this post is still in P.E.I., so I shall simply tell you what it was going to be: Elvis, the tampon of male bonding.

Within the first hour of setting out on our epic adventure, my brother found a stray tampon in the car and attached it to the rear view mirror where it dangled conspicuously for the world to envy.

While not necessarily my favorite moment of the roadtrip, it is one of the few that is a)appropriate and b) actually funny to those who do not know us too well and c) it portrays the sheer inanity of my broski.

We were pulled aside crossing back into Canada for a customs check, and me and my brother got out of the car and sat on a bench giggling about absurd scenarios that could happen. In the midst of our chuckle fest, one of the border guards called my brother over to ask him a few questions.

Here is an excerpt from the conversation:

Border Guard motioning to me: "Who is that?"

Spen: "My brother."

Border Guard: "Does he do drugs?"

Spen: "... I don't think so?"

Bless his heart.

Early on in the roadtrip, my iPod died so we were devoid of any music until day 2 when we stopped at a wal-mart and I picked up Anberlin's new album "Dark is the Way, light is a Place," their 5th full length LP.

Here is an absurdly large photo of the cover of the album. I just love it. It's so thoroughly mature and enigmatic. Works perfectly for the album.

Consisting of 10 tracks and being 40-odd minutes in length, the album, while not spotless, is surprisingly good.

Rather than go on a track by track breakdown of hits and misses, here is the general idea: way too much structure, extremely well-fleshed out lyrics and catchy-yet-complicated music. Up until their 4th album, Anberlin's music tended to blur together; Not so on this record. Each song is distinctive, yet has that elusive cohesive feel of actually being an album and not a collection of singles.

My only real issue with the album is the penultimate track Down. Every time I hear it I think it's either Sleeping Sickness by City and Color, or The Unwinding Cable Car (acoustic) also by Anberlin. Or a weird amalgamation of the two. Plus, the lyrics make reference to burning a town. Yawn. Alexisonfire killed that metaphor back in 2006 with the track 'Mailbox Arson' off of Crisis, and it should really never be brought up in music again.

I guess another issue with the album is the closer, which clocks in at only five and a half minutes, whereas their closers had averaged a length of seven minutes. Pity too, since the refrain would have easily worked over another minute and half of build (You're not a slave/So get off your knees). Lyrically, it feels like part two of Soft Skeletons from New Surrender.

In spite of those issues, and an annoying tendency to have bridges that sputter off into silence only to roar back to life with a hearty chorus, this album is definitely worth buying. There is maturity in absolutely every aspect of this album.