Boy was this a difficult one. I must admit I first read a (negative) review before I agreed to take this album. I heard a couple of tracks and thought the band had some potential and even though their music sounds very constrained, it may surprise me. And it did. But only after I had written half the review. I am still in two minds but as always, one mind is more dominant so that's the way I'm heading. The UK needs more bands like this.
It is genuinely one of those records that, even if you love the genre, doesn't engage you immediately. I make reference to the band's own press release on their MySpace page which tries to explain their ideology. This is very important. I want to embrace it completely but I can't yet. They need to prove themselves much more. And I can't wait to hear what their 'proper' debut album will sound like.
The review:
"I've seen this road ahead a thousand times, to know that is goes on for miles and miles, and I know it's ok to be treading water 'cos when I'm here I'll always feel the same". This line from opening track 'Treading Water' should be used to advertise 'Seven Months And A Fire Blanket', the new album from UK emo hopefuls Proceed as it accurately sums up the music scene and not the album. Proceed has taken a dying genre and breathed new life into it. The fact that this has been made by a British band is a great sign. The music has been dominated by American bands for way too long (most notably the masterful Cave In) and now it is changing. It is impossible to say this without referring to bands like Lostprophets and Funeral For A Friend, both of which have veered dangerously from metal into pop in an attempt to gain more popularity. But Proceed has taken elements of what defines them - they are working in a very confined space musically - and injected new blood into the veins.The album kicks off with 'Treading Water', a great soaring anthem to plunge the listener into the band's sound. The opening minute or so is superb and even when the 'hardcore' vocals come in, it is brief and acceptable. Each instrument sounds meticulously arranged and not just thrown together. The drums and guitars are clear and precise. 'The First In A Long Line' starts badly but soon recovers. As the first minute of spitting verses subsides, the song slows and sparkles with electronica, building up furious pace before descending again into a buzz of samples and more hardcore vocals. There is some astonishing guitar work at the end. More great guitars fuel 'It's Just Another Hiding Place', from the hard hitting opening vocals to the more delicate chorus, it is another relentless assault. Lyrically Proceed are not the most immediately engaging of bands but there are clear messages here. This is not the best example but punchy and to the point, from "This is your story as I see It. You've done some right but your judgement is blurred" to "...but I seek to break away from what I've become; from what I have and have not done". Typically tales of frustration, alienation, despair and then hope thread through all the songs.
'To Infuse Thought Into The Otherwise Thoughtless' (an apt title) is very good. After another noisy start, most of it glides softly before the guitars, drums and vocals take over. The ending is an impressive vocal juxtaposition between vocalists Faires and Lancaster before an electronic fade. The most interesting song follows: 'Now Laughing' is a confused blend of everything, like a six minute Coldplay album squeezed into a single track. The opening of piano and vocals sets the initial tone before the inevitable mix of Faires and Lancaster returns. It starts to grate in the last stretch but then a controlled last minute of piano provides a much needed interlude. It also ends with the fantastic line: "Behave yourself. You are not as important as you think you are".
'Swemo' starts with the most insane drumming and guitars and has all the necessary winning stereotypes. The start-stop nature is frustrating as are the curious mock-falsetto vocals but thankfully they are brief. Closing song 'Telescopes' is the only song with a discernable blatant guitar riff, at least at the start. But things are never that simple. At over seven minutes, it lurches forward to the first highlight: "I've waited so long, you won't just take it all from me. I walk my own path...". This is followed by a neat guitar break and a different direction: "They say it's for the best but I want to leave this place...". More delicate guitars bring in some equally dreamy vocals. The song moves into the last two minutes, building up again, briefly gets messy and then loses its way vocally into a disappointing end.The key to creating loud shouty emo (a.k.a 'melodic hardcore') is making it tuneful. Even bands at the more 'metal' end such as Trivium and Killswitch Engage manage to most of the time by blending hard hitting guitar music with soaring melodies and genuine musical talent. Proceed do not always manage this. It is no good just having a sound. A sound is the easy bit. The hard work involves writing songs; not just lyrics but real memorable songs. 'Seven Months And A Fire Blanket' lacks an immediacy because of the strict medium in which to work in, not because it is devoid of any substance. It is also too short. On their website, the band say that repeat listens will reveal the hidden depths of their songs. What is evident is the band's talent for weaving sounds and complex textures of music. Some of the drumming is mind blowing. Their philosophy is to strive for an equilibrium between bubblegum pop and a lasting impact. To the cynics this will read like some lame attempt at redemption; to somehow justify the lack of engaging songs. Whoever is right, only time will tell.
-- CS (for Altsounds.com)
No comments:
Post a Comment