mht
04/17/09, 02:29 AM
Saxon Shore - It Doesn't Matter
Record Label: & Records
Release Date: April 15, 2009
Despite what many of us die hard followers of Saxon Shore may have seen as a bumpy road on the outside, the band has still seemed able to churn out something special for 2009. Because of member, label and location changes, one would think that this release would be a step back, but this is one of the rare occasions where that is proved wrong.
With It Doesn't Matter, the band has seem to press on despite getting the push they obviously deserved by now. Granted one can argue that if your jams are used in national company commercials you are doing fine, but in the grand scheme of things, are they selling to the masses? Probably not. But they are getting fans that find their music beautiful, and this release is no exception. For the first time in many years, I have finally found a release I consider an artistic expression. By all means I am not a post-rock genre fan boy, nor do I really have much knowledge of this style of music, so for all I know this band could be one of the least accepted or liked by an elitist view. What I do know is that when I listen to this album, it is a breath of fresh air. Maybe it's because I listen to a lot of heavy music (hardcore, punk, crossover, etc) and this is a nice change of pace to counter that. The songwriting is definitely something that puts them on another level in terms of releases so far this year. Right off the bat, the music is structured so you can tell that these guys are very talented at what they do, even if it's just part-time.
The music and album stack up to, if not surpass, their prior work. If you are already a fan of the band, you should not be let down. If you are a first time listener, start with this album and go backwards. This album is a progression of prior Saxon Shore releases and then some. It might be a little softer than previous works, but it still gets catchy and certainly still gets heavy at times, so all the elements are there to satisfy. So far, in a musically weak 2009, this album easily comes off as a top tier release. I think it's the good boost this year needed gearing up for summertime. If I had to pick weak and strong points of the album I would say the first couple of tracks are the weakest, but the middle is where the beauty shines. The album goes from decent to good very quickly, like a nice set-up. Tracks "Tweleven" and "This Place" are a great one-two punch. "This Place" contains female vocal harmonies that parallel the guitar tones to produce a very pretty feeling track, like a summertime breeze. The song "Bar Clearing Good Times" is exactly just that, a song you would seem to play after last call in a local small town bar on a beautiful clear night, granted if you are a responsible drinker, of course.
The band continues to impress and this release does not disappoint. I feel this is a must listen for any fan of the genre and if you are not you should still be able to give this one a try. As someone who listens to tons of heavy music for a living, I still have a weak spot and appreciation for some softer stuff from time to time, and this one fills that niche.
Boards of Canada, Caspian, God is an Astronaut
Check out Saxon Shore on Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/saxonshore).
Record Label: & Records
Release Date: April 15, 2009
Despite what many of us die hard followers of Saxon Shore may have seen as a bumpy road on the outside, the band has still seemed able to churn out something special for 2009. Because of member, label and location changes, one would think that this release would be a step back, but this is one of the rare occasions where that is proved wrong.
With It Doesn't Matter, the band has seem to press on despite getting the push they obviously deserved by now. Granted one can argue that if your jams are used in national company commercials you are doing fine, but in the grand scheme of things, are they selling to the masses? Probably not. But they are getting fans that find their music beautiful, and this release is no exception. For the first time in many years, I have finally found a release I consider an artistic expression. By all means I am not a post-rock genre fan boy, nor do I really have much knowledge of this style of music, so for all I know this band could be one of the least accepted or liked by an elitist view. What I do know is that when I listen to this album, it is a breath of fresh air. Maybe it's because I listen to a lot of heavy music (hardcore, punk, crossover, etc) and this is a nice change of pace to counter that. The songwriting is definitely something that puts them on another level in terms of releases so far this year. Right off the bat, the music is structured so you can tell that these guys are very talented at what they do, even if it's just part-time.
The music and album stack up to, if not surpass, their prior work. If you are already a fan of the band, you should not be let down. If you are a first time listener, start with this album and go backwards. This album is a progression of prior Saxon Shore releases and then some. It might be a little softer than previous works, but it still gets catchy and certainly still gets heavy at times, so all the elements are there to satisfy. So far, in a musically weak 2009, this album easily comes off as a top tier release. I think it's the good boost this year needed gearing up for summertime. If I had to pick weak and strong points of the album I would say the first couple of tracks are the weakest, but the middle is where the beauty shines. The album goes from decent to good very quickly, like a nice set-up. Tracks "Tweleven" and "This Place" are a great one-two punch. "This Place" contains female vocal harmonies that parallel the guitar tones to produce a very pretty feeling track, like a summertime breeze. The song "Bar Clearing Good Times" is exactly just that, a song you would seem to play after last call in a local small town bar on a beautiful clear night, granted if you are a responsible drinker, of course.
The band continues to impress and this release does not disappoint. I feel this is a must listen for any fan of the genre and if you are not you should still be able to give this one a try. As someone who listens to tons of heavy music for a living, I still have a weak spot and appreciation for some softer stuff from time to time, and this one fills that niche.
Boards of Canada, Caspian, God is an Astronaut
Check out Saxon Shore on Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/saxonshore).