Fortunately, both expectations are met on “Meredith”, the first single from their upcoming third studio album, Primitive Smile.
So this was just posted yesterday. The new single "Meredith" is there to stream of course per Soundcloud. As the article mentions, it does differ from their past work in some ways, with a bit of an electronic element.
I guess my feeling about these guys is, in 2010 they made a reasonable splash with Listen, which I found has 3 outstanding songs on it ("Jimme's Song" especially should have been everywhere, but wasn't really unfortunately). And then they released The Janus Mirror a couple of years later, which felt more cohesive, but didn't have the standout tracks that Listen did.
But it's been now 4 years since that record, so I'm wondering/hoping something cool will come with this new album from them. Although it's odd how ever since getting into them from my friend Sarah who made a comparison to Apes and Androids, I've been hoping for them to make a breakthrough or statement record. Listen showed a lot of promise, but I have kind of forgot about them the last few years for various reasons.
But that may be a good thing overall, as I find sometimes when bands have gaps and take more time to create a new record, the thought and work put in pays off. So I'm kind of hoping that could happen here. I guess we'll see.
When it comes out? unclear right now, but given that article and the 1st single is out, I would imagine sometime in the next few months perhaps.
The whole thing can be streamed now, and there's a preorder there which includes a direct download. Damn, I wasn't expecting it until September. Very cool and pleasant surprise to get on this Monday morning.
The only drawback at the moment, I'm at work, thus I won't be able to check it out until this afternoon.
7/14/12 5:40PM
Another stellar track from the album "Samuel." Wow, this record is starting to raise the bar a bit. It may be my most anticipated new album now (perhaps until if/when The River Empires next record comes)
Not a ton to add of course at this point, as I haven't even heard whatever audio is on that short clip yet. But these guys have written some tremendous songs, so naturally there is a good amount of optimism about this. Listen had many of those great tracks, although at the same time, the whole album I never found myself attached to. 2011's EP Hands I can say more or less the same about.
Still, such great potential, especially just checking out the video I passed along in a previous entry a few weeks ago; this new song "Wooble" is just awesome.
Track Listing
1. The Introduction 2:12
2. Guatemala 3:38
3. Ariel And The River 5:25
4. Jimme's Song (Full Band Version) 5:24
5. Duckies 0:16
6. Free Life 3:52
7. Dear Friend 4:18
8. Yo, Jåmin 0:31
9. Trucker Lovesong 5:40
10. Baclony 6:44
11. Whatever You Do 4:08
12. Bridges And Ladies 0:16
13. The Raiman 5:13
14. Same Way 3:33
15. Simple Eyes 4:03
16. Song For A Girl 3:34
17. The Finale 5:47
18. Look Ma, The Walls Are Moving! 0:23
19. Razzmatazz 3:49
I've now gone through this record at least 4 full times and my thoughts about it are this.
It's best songs are really awesome.The opening 4 tracks/suite "The Introduction/Guatemala/Ariel and the River/Jimme's Song" work exceptionally well. The chamber element in Guatemala is great. The interplay that includes a flute solo almost does remind me of Jethro Tull. "Jimme's Song" is the album's biggest highlight for me. The gradual build of the theme between instruments and especially the vocal chorus never leaves my head.
"I don't want to do nothing but be in a rock band. I don't wanna get a job, I don't wanna be a man."
The way the fat synths come in there and begin repeating is unforgettable. The "indietronica" part if you will. Apes and Androids could have written that part.
As the rest of this album continues, there are some short sound-bytes or movements along with some more thematic tracks. "Dear Friend" certainly stands out, even if it does sound lifted from some musical on Broadway.
"I see all the people passing by..and I smile to myself, in the most peculiar wayyy ...walking along singing a tune for all the people passing by..I was smiling in the most peculiar way, feeling happy. something I'd never thought I'd say."
The arrangement is very show-tuney, but it's rather catchy no matter. And I enjoy the horn and other chamber parts of it.
From the 10th track "Balcony" to the 15th track "Simple Eyes" I'm luke warm about. "Song For a Girl" I am enjoying more now, due to not having issue with the female singer or the dialog vocals. The outro especially really works and leads well into "The Finale" which is probably the most overt prog rock or just *technical* this record becomes. Intricate phrasing. Some chromatic work on it, almost sounds like Elton John's "Funeral For a Friend" or even a classical influence (Beethoven?). It's a rather grandiose and bombastic way to come down the stretch, but it never comes across as pretentious to me.
The last 2 tracks "Look Ma, The Walls Are Moving" and especially "Razzmatazz" are remotely interesting for the story I guess, but the truth is, I'm not sure how many times I'm going to want to hear the dark comedic attempt. "It's a beehive!!!"
That I guess along with a few other moments prevent this album from being really great, maybe partially I find it lacks some cohesiveness that could help it all the way through..
But for a debut album, this is still pretty impressive and actually somewhat original approach to a Rock Opera. I'm not sure there's a band who sounds exactly like these guys. You could compare them to Apes and Androids or someone like Arcade Fire in their wall of sound. The Dear Hunter or Gavin Castleton's "Home" also might be somewhat reasonable comparisons, but there's still a lot of differences to their writing approach.
I just hope they can continue on forward here, because based on a lot of the songwriting and musicianship, they have a lot of talent and could make a lot more music, probably even better than this.
85/100
I need to also include something here. They posted these outrageously funny promotional videos on youtube for their debut ep last year.
okay, given I've been on vacation for the past week, and will still be until Monday May 17th, some of the music I might want to thoroughly or at least more accurately talk about in here and/or review, well I'd rather wait.
But, at least it's worth bringing some of this stuff up.
Emanuel and the Fear is a new band who a friend of mine on last.fm suggested a few weeks ago. This friend also really enjoys Apes and Androids like I do. And I guess the best thing to do is copy/paste how they described them.
Hey, have you checked out Emanuel and The Fear yet? They're a rock orchestra from NY. Very cool and kind of prog-rock and remind me a lot of Apes and Androids, a little bit sound wise, but also with how they're kind of taking an existing genre and making it their own.
so that description sounds totally up my alley. I listened to their debut album "Listen" once and liked some of it, but wasn't entirely sold due to it being a "Rock Opera." But in playing it once more, and finally with headphones, I liked it more.
I've posted on some of the forums, I think among the new albums I have heard in 2010, the best thing clearly is The River Empires 88-minute epic debut record. And the 2nd best is the Lehto & Wright album "Children's Songs." And among my top 10-15, Foals and I would possibly include Dead Letter Circus as pleasant surprises that belong pretty high up.
But this record from Emanuel and the Fear, may potentially get addictive and thus may be the 1st real challenge to The River Empires in the race right now.
I've thought to myself, what may end up happening in 2010, may be similar to 2008 with TRE album may end up being like Apes and Androids, and Emanuel and the Fear being like The Stiletto Formal or Burst. A damn good record, that in another year would finish on top, but the same year something even better and landmark comes out.
But I bought a copy of "Listen" already for under $2 on Amazon.
1. The Introduction 2:12
2. Guatemala 3:38
3. Ariel And The River 5:25
4. Jimme's Song (Full Band Version) 5:24
5. Duckies 0:16
6. Free Life 3:52
7. Dear Friend 4:18
8. Yo, Jåmin 0:31
9. Trucker Lovesong 5:40
10. Baclony 6:44
11. Whatever You Do 4:08
12. Bridges And Ladies 0:16
13. The Raiman 5:13
14. Same Way 3:33
15. Simple Eyes 4:03
16. Song For A Girl 3:34
17. The Finale 5:47
18. Look Ma, The Walls Are Moving! 0:23
19. Razzmatazz 3:49
