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march 2008 cd reviews
FRAMES : OCEANSIZE
Math rock. It sounds complex but it's really just about sudden rhythm changes, the kind of shifts that make you think of an irascible mad professor scribbling manically at a blackboard. You don't dance to it, you admire it and Oceansize are worthy of admiration. They certainly haven't skimped on material as it comes in at an almost feature length 77 minutes of intensely serious musical formulae. Opener "Commemorative T-shirt" builds a pleasing looped chord sequence with suitable tension before giving way to some crunchingly heavy guitars reminiscent of the American heavy but complex rockers Tool. Without a second's pause we're into "Unfamiliar" and another bludgeoning worthy sounding riff. They do have some different musical shades though, with the more thoughtful "Savant" demonstrating a nice variety of dynamic, as well as some heavenly 80s sounding synth. They also manage to employ a good range of atmospheric sounds to give their heavy rock some layers of thoughtfulness.They accomplish the difficult math rock trick of making their music heavy but not too self indulgent, as well as meandering and extensive without being flabby or feeling pointlessly repetitive. It would be tempting to say that it could do with some editing but then that's kind of missing the point of the full on musical equivalent of an intense science puzzle that Oceansize are quite clearly going for. The problem may be that there is just too much of it. Like a massive chocolate cake it's all good but you can't take the whole lot in one sitting. Unfortunately Oceansize's songs might not sound as good when taken out of their album context and placed on a multi tiered rotating cake tray from Betty's tea shop. This album is an enjoyable work of intense rock music but, rather like Kubrick's 2001, you may want to enjoy it in bits.
martin cordiner
I think I must have a copy of this CD with a misprint on the cover. It's odd, because most of it makes sense. We've got two guys - Damian Fynes (guitar, vocals) and Frank Palliser (mandolin) - who have been plying their trade around the York folk scene for a number of years, coming together to produce a CD. Sounds fair enough - I think I even recognise them. What can't be right, though, is that the cover says that everything bar a couple of traditional tunes is from the pen of the aforementioned Mr Fynes. Nah - can't be... unless... what we have here is someone who can turn out songs in the traditional idiom that are so spot-on that there's not the tiniest hint of pastiche, in which even the occasional folksy archaism sounds 100% right. Unlikely though it seems, I reckon that's what we have here; a little gem of a disc with 11 finely-crafted songs boasting choruses you can almost join in before you've heard them - the sort of songs that you're sure your great granddad sang in the nineteenth century. True, nothing on here's likely to shove anything out of this week's charts, but I can imagine a handful of these songs still being sung in the pub generations after we've all gone. And that, as all right-thinking sentient beings will surely agree, is a Very Good Thing indeed.
oz hardwick
On May 7 2007 Mojo Fins guitarist and vocalist Jon Chandler died in a car accident just a week before the intended release of this single. Its eventual release (and the fact that all proceeds from it will go to RoadPeace, the UK charity for road traffic victims) is a fitting tribute. It is a great piece of music, starting off all peaceful acoustic guitar and half whispered vocals married to a great tune before lovely vocal refrains and animated drums appear while a yearning guitar line floats over the top. The spirit of Elliot Smith is here but they capture his flavour without sounding like imitators. Bonus song "Between Stations" is pretty good too, a chiming guitar part sent soaring through a rapidly shifting chord sequence that is wistful but uplifting. Wherever they decide to go from here, The Mojo Fins have already made some very good music.
martin cordiner
What is a reviewer to do? Not only can't I understand any of this - I don't even recognise the language! However, whilst I'm undoubtedly missing a lot from the strident, Nico-esque vocals of Eva Mag and her heavily-processed collaborator Andreas Seidbardt, I think it is safe to assume that the songs are not about having a good time. Rather,this reminds me of the dark progressive rock that was coming out of the Scandinavian underground in the 90s, where bands like Sinkadus were tapping into the murkier shadows of native folklore. If anything, Stormfågel are more extreme, with relentless military percussion, lacrimose strings and monastic layered vocals weaving into keyboard soundscapes which run the gamut from paranoid unease to a truly monumental soundtrack to Ragnarok. This is compelling stuff, though definitely not to be filed under 'easy listening'.
oz hardwick
BELLE UNION : THE LIGHT AND THE DARK
Sorry folks. Gotta be truthful here. Although musically competent, this album largely meanders lyrically and melodically with little aim and therefore, for me, limited impact. Wishing to give all original songwriting recognition and credit, I have tried and given this collection many, many listens - willing the music to connect - but sadly it just doesn't. I think the lack of strong memorable melody on most tracks and an overly didactic lyrical style leaves me with a luke warm wash of dated Folk. Images of 'The Wickerman' (potentially good) do come to mind with title track 'The Light And The Dark' but soon feels a little pastiche and strained. Even a supporting cast of able musicians doesn't fully enthuse energy into the arrangements. Strongest track is 'Three Thousand Miles' as it offers harmonies, energy and the strongest chorus which shows there is good songwriting skill here. If the aim was to produce a CD as a personal goal, that's fine, but these songs need some re-working for wider acclaim.
dean saint john
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