Gregory Robson
09/03/09, 07:38 PM
The Assembly Line - Graves Like Oceans
Record Label: self-released.
Release Date: July 4, 2009
Who?
Continent-hopper and Brooklyn resident Thornfin Nguyen is the do-it-all, DIY dynamo behind The Assembly Line. Graves Like Oceans is his 14-song debut full-length release.
How is it?
Slightly exhausting and yet highly promising. Putting 14 songs on a debut album is a bit lofty and overly confident, even if the album's opening track, "Hope and Expectation Are Not the Same Thing," is a two-minute piano instrumental. Nguyen's sonic landscapes and densely layered radio-rock are surefire ear pleasers. The only problem is his vocals are pretty much hit or miss. He seems to struggle mightily on verses but soars on the choruses. Other times, his verses sound solid ("Explodes Like Fireworks") but the songs aural skeletons are skewed and porous ("Chasing Ghosts," "Sinking Ships,"). Tracks like "Madison," and "11:11," reveal an inherent ability to write crowd pleasers. His lone ballad, "Alone," is one of the album's better songs and has the kind of passion and sincerity that seems to do well in the long run. All that being said, Nguyen still needs more swagger, more confidence and more precision before he's ready for his close-up. If there were a theoretical timeline on his career, the strengths and holes of this disc reveal a couple years work before Nguyen makes the proverbial splash into the spotlight. Aided by strong production work from Mark Troth Lewis (Flyleaf, White Light Motorcade) Graves Like Oceans reveals a solid name to add to the veritable music radar. This is the sound of something special blossoming. Even if it's not just ripe yet.
1. Hope and Expectation Are Not the Same Thing (2:00)
2. Valor Among Thieves (4:46)
3. Madison (2:14)*
4. twenty-thousand leagues (4:02)
5. Chasing Ghosts (3:20)
6. 11:11 (4:16)*
7. Awake (4:27)*
8. Pretend (3:53)
9. Heart to Life (4:30)*
10. Floating Fur and Feather (4:57)*
11. Explodes Like Fireworks (4:15)
12. Sinking Ships (3:46)
13. Recovery (4:02)*
14. These Hills and Valleys (4:46)*
*Recommended Tracks
Daphne Loves Derby, White Light Motorcade, The Gufs, Radford
Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/theassemblyline)
Record Label: self-released.
Release Date: July 4, 2009
Who?
Continent-hopper and Brooklyn resident Thornfin Nguyen is the do-it-all, DIY dynamo behind The Assembly Line. Graves Like Oceans is his 14-song debut full-length release.
How is it?
Slightly exhausting and yet highly promising. Putting 14 songs on a debut album is a bit lofty and overly confident, even if the album's opening track, "Hope and Expectation Are Not the Same Thing," is a two-minute piano instrumental. Nguyen's sonic landscapes and densely layered radio-rock are surefire ear pleasers. The only problem is his vocals are pretty much hit or miss. He seems to struggle mightily on verses but soars on the choruses. Other times, his verses sound solid ("Explodes Like Fireworks") but the songs aural skeletons are skewed and porous ("Chasing Ghosts," "Sinking Ships,"). Tracks like "Madison," and "11:11," reveal an inherent ability to write crowd pleasers. His lone ballad, "Alone," is one of the album's better songs and has the kind of passion and sincerity that seems to do well in the long run. All that being said, Nguyen still needs more swagger, more confidence and more precision before he's ready for his close-up. If there were a theoretical timeline on his career, the strengths and holes of this disc reveal a couple years work before Nguyen makes the proverbial splash into the spotlight. Aided by strong production work from Mark Troth Lewis (Flyleaf, White Light Motorcade) Graves Like Oceans reveals a solid name to add to the veritable music radar. This is the sound of something special blossoming. Even if it's not just ripe yet.
1. Hope and Expectation Are Not the Same Thing (2:00)
2. Valor Among Thieves (4:46)
3. Madison (2:14)*
4. twenty-thousand leagues (4:02)
5. Chasing Ghosts (3:20)
6. 11:11 (4:16)*
7. Awake (4:27)*
8. Pretend (3:53)
9. Heart to Life (4:30)*
10. Floating Fur and Feather (4:57)*
11. Explodes Like Fireworks (4:15)
12. Sinking Ships (3:46)
13. Recovery (4:02)*
14. These Hills and Valleys (4:46)*
*Recommended Tracks
Daphne Loves Derby, White Light Motorcade, The Gufs, Radford
Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/theassemblyline)