The Fall of Troy - Doppelgänger

            Conversation between musicians, no matter environment or circumstance, inevitably leads to one undying topic: the ability of other musicians. From there, that conversation takes the form of either praise or condescension, reminding me that judgment is an unavoidable aspect of art. One such conversation brought to my attention the band the Fall of Troy, as another musician offered accolades to their incredible skills. Intrigued, I decided to investigate, and picked up an album which firmly defined for me the difference between playing music and making music: Doppelgänger.

            One listen will assure you that composing Doppelgänger must have been a true feat of music; whether or not that composition is even worth that one listen is entirely more subjective. The sound presented here is extremely technical, relying on odd song structures, varying time signatures, and no small amount of forgiveness from the listener. There are quite a few moments when this trio really connects, producing songs and riffs that are catchy, energetic, exciting, and damn good—the first five tracks are laden with headbanging riffs and sing-along melodies that refuse to be ignored. Yet, for the most part, the composition of the music is so focused towards being an ear-opening piece that the Fall of Troy seems to have left out its humanity. The band’s attempt to create a unique and challenging style of music was certainly successful, but at the cost of their tunes sometimes having as much soul as dial tone.

            Whether or not the songs on Doppelgänger are audibly pleasing, no one can deny that the Fall of Troy is a unit of phenomenal musicians. In a review for Allmusic, Greg Prato remarks that these musicians “have obviously logged significant amounts of time ‘familiarizing’ themselves with their instruments,”[1] and indeed, these guys treat their instruments like extensions of the body. Thomas Erak doesn’t play his guitar—he wields it like a weapon. His style of switching between colorful chords and modal shredding is grounded by Tim Ward’s drawling bass and Andrew Forsman’s energetic drumming. Yet while all three members of the Fall of Troy certainly know their instruments, at times they seem to have trouble putting it all together in such complicated compositions. Throughout Doppelgänger are buried slight but noticeable tempo changes which seem more like chances for Tim and Andrew to catch up rather than musical choices. Furthermore, some riffs are so high-speed that the band is hard pressed to keep the tune from spiraling into chaos. Part of the reason for this lies perhaps in how guitar-centric the compositions are. With each listen, it becomes apparent that the driving force of this band—and thus its songs—is Erak. His guitar is spouting flames 98% of the time, with the bass and drums receiving no meaningful feature in any tune. Even the mix reflects this, as the guitar is blatantly louder than anything else on the record.

            Despite the bog of band relations and technical riffs that they’ve chosen to navigate, there are a few moments on Doppelgänger where the Fall of Troy really get it, producing a piece that is from the heart more so than the hands. One such piece is “You Got a Death Wish, Johnny Truant?” which packs enough soul to mark the Fall of Troy as a band with which to contend. The song starts off with an interesting and harmonious guitar riff before collapsing into a fast-paced melodic-punk onslaught. The band effortlessly switches time signatures in every verse without losing the groove they’ve established, while Erak and Ward toss us riff after danceable riff. Really driving this song, however, is the complex yet graceful drumming of Andrew Forsman, who pounds on each piece of his kit like a blacksmith. His percussion steers the feel of the song, taking it from brutal to bouncing without interrupting the flow or overriding the melody, marking him as a true rhythm-section man. Even the vocals exude energy and fun, the simple and sparse melody locking down this jam as a two-minute-masterpiece.

            “You Got a Death Wish, Johnny Truant?” is a simple and catchy tune, and thus an anomaly on the record. The musicality of Doppelgänger is complex to an extreme, which unfortunately causes other aspects of the tunes to suffer, especially in the vocal department. So much time and energy has been thrown into the music that the vocals and the lyrics accompanying them are little more than footnotes. With the exception of a chorus or two, every vocal part feels stuffed on top of this musical casserole, as Thomas and Tim scrounge for melodies to complement the audio hailstorm they've laid down. And while hard vocals might usually justify weak melodies, unfortunately for the Fall of Troy, whoever is screaming simply has no business screaming—the abnormally high range being explored makes the hard vocals more laughable than respectable, and kicks out the legs from any energetic excuse the band was relying on. Couple that with lyrics that universally fail to communicate a story or even connect with each other, and a massive connection point with the audience has been lost, to everyone's detriment.

            Though a lot on this record isn't working, the Fall of Troy has one thing going for it: Doppelgänger is interesting. The sound provided by this trio is certainly original, as they audaciously eschew musical conventions by pumping this record full of blue notes, modal changes, and harrying time signatures. Most songs deny any standard song structure, steering away from the mundane verse-chorus attitude for a more eclectic energy, a factor that, according to Scot Weber of AbsolutePunk, keeps the record from ever approaching a “cheesy and predictable”[2] feeling. Some songs even seem to be separated into small suites, where, to the band’s credit, riffs are given the room to evolve into something more than noise. Most notable is the last two minutes of “Act One, Scene One,” where the band takes a simple chord progression and, though rhythmic and dynamic changes, allows it to breathe and grow into the most beautiful part of the record.

            With Doppelgänger, the Fall of Troy shows itself as a band with potential and with a specific idea in mind. As a whole, this record has a voice unique unto itself, an achievement that cannot be taken lightly; yet few of the songs have enough strength or appeal to stand on their own. Doppelgänger testifies itself to the incredible musicianship of the Fall of Troy, while reminding us while art can be approached and dissected as a science, it cannot be felt as such.

Tunes to Check Out:
1) "You Got a Death Wish, Johnny Truant?"
2) Act One, Scene One
3) F.C.P.R.E.M.I.X.

ADDENDUM:

            During my research for this record, I came across a video interview which featured live footage of the band performing “‘You Got a Death Wish, Johnny Truant?’” The fact that these musicians are capable of reproducing flawless tunes night after night is a testament to both their skill and their commitment; furthermore, their performance lacks not at all for presence or energy. Erak's employment of a loop generator offers an interesting and unique approach to the live performance, as he is able to layer his guitar riffs for a fuller sound, as well as keep it going while he abandons his ax to join the crowd in a breakdown that is a brutal yet inviting whirlpool. This video makes it clear that the music on this record has potential, but when translating it from the stage to the CD, there are some things that fail to carry over.

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[1] http://www.allmusic.com/album/doppelg%C3%A4nger-mw0000689623

[2] http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=97429

Incubus - Morning View

            At the age of twelve, with no money and no job, I was forced to reach out to other resources for new music. Often my friends were my only source, burning me copies from their record collection. However, I soon found that my local library provided me with a varied and gratuitous selection of music. Every week I would dig through the rows of cracked jewel cases, digging until something stuck its head out. One such record, buried behind endless outdated Christmas compilations, was Incubus’ 2001 release, Morning View, a record I find myself adoring a decade after I was introduced to it.

            In Morning View, Incubus provides a buffet of styles in their music. Their sound is extremely varied: it swings, it rocks, and it jives. Written at a time when the “band dynamic was shifting dramatically,”[1] this record explores a whole continent of musical styles, wherein the same song often features moments heavy enough to crush a bus followed sections as soft as beach sand. Any group of musicians who can redefine their sound in every tune must be tight, and Incubus is apparently a compact unit. Even their disagreements apparently give way to soulful musical creation, as with “Are You In?”[2], and when they’re on their game, the end result is even more incredible. While their overall sound hovers around the term “alternative rock,” DJ Kilmore’s turntables add a hip-hop seasoning that prevents this band from being lumped into any one genre. His scratching is both melodic and percussive, as he adds an ambience to the record that essentially defines its sound. His sampling and spinning are prominent in the compositions without ever overriding the whole show, which makes him an invaluable character in this band’s composition.

            The diversity of sound on this record, with adjacent tracks almost never featuring a similar dynamic or feel, makes Morning View a very interesting listen. In an interview with Crud Magazine, guitarist Mike Einziger remarked that “we get bored very easily and we would never be able to just keep repeating ourselves,”[3] and with tracks like “Just a Phase,” it’s obvious that this band is unafraid to change it up. While perhaps not the most sonically beautiful tune on the record, “Just a Phase” is certainly the most interesting. The tune opens with a loop from DJ Kilmore (who also provides us with a sweet scratching solo halfway through the song), and from there evolves in every way possible. The beginning and end of the song feature some soul-wrenching vocalizations from Brandon Boyd, while the instrumentation works to build a powerful tension before finally releasing it in the outro, one of the heaviest moments on the record. The time signatures of the song are just as varied: “Just a Phase” features an intro and chorus in 4/4, verses in 6/4 and a prechorus in 5/4, making it apparent that, from the backbone to the finishing touches, Incubus is unafraid to stray away from the conventions of composition, leaving us with a tune that is wholly unique and fun to experience.

            While the tunes on Morning View are consistently vibrant and progressive, the main shortcomings of this album lie in its inconsistencies. Most noticeable are the varying mixes on the tunes, which drop the instruments as often as they carry them. In tunes like “Blood on the Ground,” Einziger’s guitar is full and brutally heavy, yet in “Have You Ever” the power feels unsupported, to the song’s extreme detriment. Similarly, Jose Pasillas’ toms sound incredible in “Under My Umbrella,” but in “Circles” he might as well be playing pots and pans. Just as erratic is Boyd’s overall vocal and lyrical contributions to the record. While his vocals lacks not for beauty, Boyd generally seems to be singing towards the top, or even a little above, his range, often sacrificing power and control for high notes. “Are You In?” features a vocal both soulfully written and expertly executed from Boyd, but in “Nice to Know You” and “Blood on the Ground” he reaches too far for his notes and thus cuts the power from his voice.

            Such inconsistencies, though small, might leave some tunes seeming unrefined; however, no track on Morning View fails to deliver the grooving rock for which Incubus is famous. There are a few songs on this record that I really find myself digging, the first being “Circles,” the final single released off of the album. The tune introduces itself with a little ambience from DJ Kilmore, before exploding into a striking and heavy riff. The entire song carries a musical weight that never stops moving, as Einziger rips distorted chords from his guitar with a force bordering on violence. The performance of the whole band is miles from lackluster, and Boyd’s vocal is so energetic that his high notes are tinged with screams. The closing moments of the song also feature a riff in alternating measures of 5/8 and 7/8, and Boyd completes the circular image with his incantation of “round and round and round and round…” Overall, “Circles” presents a performance of pure, unabashed energy from Incubus, easily translated into the live footage that makes up the song’s music video.

            The second tune that really has me sucked in is the album’s closer, “Aqueous Transmission.” Featuring Mike Einziger on the pipa (a gift from the infamous Steve Vai)[4], this song takes an eastern approach to the ideas of ambience and musical space. There seems to be very little happening throughout the song, with Dirk’s bass only peeking in on the chorus, and the percussion going no farther than some hand cymbals and a gentle drum loop. Yet that empty space perfectly complements the music, creating a sense of drifting and transcendence only furthered by Boyd’s lilting melody. The space in this song is then soon occupied by a full orchestra, which Incubus wisely provides room to develop over the course of the song. This tune, clocking in at a little under eight minutes, is so full of flow that we cannot help but fall into its gentle current. With “Aqueous Transmission,” Incubus creates an audible river for us to float on, to meditate to, and to immerse ourselves in, from the opening plucking of the pipa to the last croaking frog.

            Whatever style of music may be your fancy, you would be hard pressed to pick up Morning View without finding one song with which to fall in love. The efforts of Incubus to stay true to themselves as musicians have borne fruit in each track of this record whose branches extend into all genres and styles. With this record, the members Incubus dive into an ocean of sound and feel without ever abandoning the anchor of their roots, affirming that, despite everything else, they are a band that just plain rocks.

Tunes to Check Out:
1) Circles
2) Aqueous Transmission
3) Echo

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[1] http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/2011/09/incubus_brandon_boyd_interview_morning_view.php

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Are_You_In%3F#Meaning

[3] http://www.2-4-7-music.com/newsitems/june02/incubus.asp

[4] http://www.1songday.com/2008/08/incubus-aqueous-transmission/

Streetlight Manifesto - The Hands that Thieve

            Streetlight Manifesto has been a band surrounded by buzz for years simply for their eclectic and distinct sound; thus, the drama surrounding the release of The Hands that Thieve, their latest studio album, has only added to the hype. Between release dates being repeatedly pushed back[1] and the record label’s initial refusal to release copies of the album to the band[2], the release of this record seemed a miracle. Yet, like all miracles, The Hands that Thieve provides a sense of beauty, appreciation and connection that few pieces of art are able to approach—put shortly, the wait was certainly worth it.

            To manage three musicians into a cohesive unit is often considered a challenge, yet Streetlight Manifesto’s seven members seamlessly connect in their composition efforts, as is apparent in every moment of The Hands that Thieve. One listen makes it apparent that every note, every snare hit, every pick slide has been tailored to fit each song exactly. The horn harmonies alone are so seamless that creating them must have taken months. From the time signature changes in “The Three of Us” to the plethora of syncopated hits in “Your Day Will Come,” it is obvious that Streetlight Manifesto is a musically cohesive unit who takes every composition seriously, refusing to put out a product that is any less than perfect, even if it takes almost a year of rewriting and mixing.

            The music of Streetlight Manifesto is not only tight but ridiculously diverse. Although the band is often lumped into the genre of ska, despite Tomas Kalnoky’s assertions that ska is a very small influence on the music of Streetlight,[3] their sound is infinitely more complex and varied to pin them down into one genre. The feel of the tunes on The Hands that Thieve ranges anywhere from punk rock to latin to acoustic pop to folk, yet every moment has Streetlight’s signature all over it. The four-piece horn section that this band sports furthers their exploration into new sounds, and adds a depth and harmony that all other acts lack. Furthermore, while the record is predominantly up-tempo and energetic, when the band decides to pull it back or break it down, their music never loses the energy that is synonymous with the band’s name.

            One tune on this record that has imprisoned my musical attention is “Ungrateful,” the second track on the album. Fooling the listener with a gentle and quiet opening, this song invites a circle pit more than any other on The Hands that Thieve. Chris Thatcher’s powerful beats drive the song through tempo and feel changes, making the energy of the song seem to reflect the uncertainty of the lyrics. Tomas rips through the vocals on the verse, the words almost piling on top of each other, before the entire band joins in for the chorus. Every part of this tune is frantic and yet controlled, and none more so than the low-end stylings of Pete McCullough, whose fingers must be raw after playing this song. He tears up the fretboard of his bass in the bridge, running through a walking line that is so fast the rest of band must struggle to keep up. Easily the most energetic tune on the record, “Ungrateful” captures both the pure enthusiasm and natural energy of the sleek orchestra that is Streetlight Manifesto.

            The musicality of this record is further complemented by Tomas Kalnoky’s lyrics. Although some of the tunes, such as “Oh Me Oh My” and “With Any Sort of Certainty” seem to feature verse that is convoluted or unexplored, for the most part, this record features some extreme and powerful poetry. Tomas Kalnoky chooses his words very carefully, creating images that we can both picture in our heads and sing along with. Much of the language of the record alludes to religious ideas and themes: in “Toe to Toe” the story of David and Goliath is referenced, while in “They Broke Him Down” we are given the image of angels watching people drown in a deluge. This religious imagery is often paired with the ideas of uncertainty and mystery, as Tomas brings into question the reliability of belief, and connects with the most prominent lyrical theme of the record: having to go it alone.

            The idea of inevitable self-reliance is visited in virtually every song on the record, asserting that the only help worth having is self-help, and that at one point, we will only have ourselves to rely on. Kalnoky explores this idea in an earthly sense in the song “If Only for Memories,” a testament to every man’s departure from the reliance of childhood into the terrifying undefined future of an adult. With this song, Kalnoky takes the idea of “going it alone” to a most personal level, referencing the moment when every child decides to leave the nest and strike out on his own. Kalnoky brilliantly paints the deep love rooted in family, remarking that “No one will ever know / A love as pure as the one that you felt right then;”[4]yet always there is that consciousness that the world is wider than the backyard, which he addresses in the second verse, remarking that “you can’t help thinking / Oh, there’s gotta be some more to do,” leading to the realization that “everything you want won’t come to you / You realize now that you’ve gotta go see this through.”[5] With “If Only for Memories,” Kalnoky captures the terror every person feels as they cut the umbilical cord, while assuring us that every broken bone, no matter how “meant to be,” will indeed heal, and lead to something more beautiful and breathtaking.

            With The Hands that Thieve, Streetlight Manifesto has again set the musical bar miles high. Every tune on this record has been developed to its full potential, making the record as a whole a sonic powerhouse. My only possible complaint is that Mike Brown's bari-sax seems a bit buried in the mix, a complaint hardly worthy of airing in the presence of this incredible effort. The Hands that Thieve is well worth a listen, and if you find yourself digging these tunes as much as I have, you might consider seeking out a bootleg copy of the unauthorized accompanying album[6], Toh Kay’s The Hand that Thieves, for a completely different but no less incredible take on these master compositions.

Tunes to Check Out:
1) They Broke Him Down
2) Ungrateful
3) If Only For Memories

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[1] http://streetlightmanifesto.com/album-releases-postponed/

[2] http://streetlightmanifesto.com/update-the-continued-struggle/

[3] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmCejk0lqKk

[4] http://www.plyrics.com/lyrics/streetlightmanifesto/ifonlyformemories.html

[5] http://www.plyrics.com/lyrics/streetlightmanifesto/ifonlyformemories.html

[6] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hands_That_Thieve#Toh_Kay_version