Scott Irvine
06/04/07, 07:55 PM
Some Monastery - Welcome to the Symmetry
Released April 2007
Self-released
Who?
The solo project of the obviously prolific Brad Walker; Welcome to the Symmetry is Some Monastery’s 16th or 17th release since Walker first began recording under this moniker in 2000. You’d think after five years of cranking out material, he’d be dry of lo-fi experimentation and lyrical excursions.
How Is It?
Yeah well, he’s not because Welcome to the Symmetry holds its own fairly well. Lo-fi it is and uninviting it is not. Welcome to the Symmetry has a weird close and personal aesthetic. Each scrape of the pick against the guitar strings is audible and the vocals, very reminiscent of Beck's early days, are intimate and interestingly witty. You can tell all ten tracks were written in the same stretch of time because they have very similar aspects that at some points makes the album a claustrophobic affair, and at other points makes coming back to it welcoming and instantly familiar. Influence from Thurston Moore, Modest Mouse, and Guided By Voices coalesce into an extremely enigmatic, yet strangely beautiful effort.
RIYL: early Beck, Modest Mouse, Thurston Moore
Stand Out Tracks?: One of those albums where you'll love all of them, or hate all of them. Personal preference. Let's hope yours leads you to liking this album like me.
Some Monastery @ Myspace (http://myspace.com/somemonastery)
Released April 2007
Self-released
Who?
The solo project of the obviously prolific Brad Walker; Welcome to the Symmetry is Some Monastery’s 16th or 17th release since Walker first began recording under this moniker in 2000. You’d think after five years of cranking out material, he’d be dry of lo-fi experimentation and lyrical excursions.
How Is It?
Yeah well, he’s not because Welcome to the Symmetry holds its own fairly well. Lo-fi it is and uninviting it is not. Welcome to the Symmetry has a weird close and personal aesthetic. Each scrape of the pick against the guitar strings is audible and the vocals, very reminiscent of Beck's early days, are intimate and interestingly witty. You can tell all ten tracks were written in the same stretch of time because they have very similar aspects that at some points makes the album a claustrophobic affair, and at other points makes coming back to it welcoming and instantly familiar. Influence from Thurston Moore, Modest Mouse, and Guided By Voices coalesce into an extremely enigmatic, yet strangely beautiful effort.
RIYL: early Beck, Modest Mouse, Thurston Moore
Stand Out Tracks?: One of those albums where you'll love all of them, or hate all of them. Personal preference. Let's hope yours leads you to liking this album like me.
Some Monastery @ Myspace (http://myspace.com/somemonastery)