topher465
03/06/09, 02:56 PM
The Appleseed Cast - Sagarmatha
Record Label: Vagrant Records
Release Date: February 17, 2009
In Nepali, Sagarmatha means “Head of the Sky,” doubling as a name for Mount Everest, one of the most iconic natural elements on Earth.
I’m sure Sagarmatha, the title to The Appleseed Cast’s newest full-length, which is a trip into a massive void of reverb, is some sort of metaphor for this looming giant. It could be because the album is so massive in scope, or it could be because Mount Everest is so awesome. Either way, the nine songs comprising the band’s full length are an ode to all that is ethereal.
The instrumental opener, “As the Little Things Go,” offers melodious layers of guitars and percussion, sticking mainly toward a repetitive nature of movement. The music is serene and complete; unforced. However, at over eight minutes long, and without much distinction throughout the first half of the song, the listener may drift into ennui, even with the introduction of vocals after about six minutes. This, however, seems to be the main ailment of the album; too much repetition and post-rock (“Like A Locus”, “The Road West”). Indeed, I found myself glancing at the time-bar on my iPod rather early on.
Despite sometimes lengthy and repetitive arrangements, much of Sagarmatha is dramatic enough to knock the listener over with its wall of sound or coo him back with its earnestness.
Tracks like “A Bright Light,” and “An Army of Fire Flies” offer enough diversity to keep the listener interested by means of shoe-gaze, with heavily delayed and reverbed guitars and Jesse Lacy-ish vocals, sounding like they come from some deep well somewhere, with “An Army of Fire Flies” utilizing almost Latin-esque drums and groovy guitar. “South Col” leaves the ambient doldrums behind as well, using active drums and more commanding guitar parts while still harnessing the atmospherics, creating an engaging song complete with a piano break and a psychedelia inspired guitar closing.
“Raise the Sails” opens wonderfully in an eerie stop-start motion of dynamics. The comparison to Lacey and later Brand New is even more evident before breaking into an arrangement that is fast and lighter, feeling much warmer and inviting, as opposed to the dark opening. The dichotomy works.
“The Summer Before,” however, is the best song on the record. With a strikingly developed and wonderfully beautiful melody line, the lyrics, revolving around a summer in Arizona, resound with the listener in universality of ardent honesty, leaving the gloom behind to shed some light and warmth.
Sagarmatha is an opus, a melding of spacey and atmospheric elements, that although is sometimes drawn out, in the end is a wonderful release. Undeniably, music with post-rock leanings is lengthy by nature, and it’s fair to say that The Appleseed Cast pull it off sometimes in dramatic fashion and sometimes in pacifying moods. Although the band could draw comparisons with bands such as Explosions in the Sky and This Will Destroy You, their use of vocals and overall writing style solidifies the band as their own; mimicking but never stealing, admiring, but softly imitating. And with a February release, the band has set the tone, having written what’s sure to a record that hovers close to the top of nearly everyone’s end of the year lists.
Explosions in the Sky; Brand New; This Will Destroy You; Dredg
myspace.com/theappleseedcast (http://www.myspace.com/theappleseedcast)
Record Label: Vagrant Records
Release Date: February 17, 2009
In Nepali, Sagarmatha means “Head of the Sky,” doubling as a name for Mount Everest, one of the most iconic natural elements on Earth.
I’m sure Sagarmatha, the title to The Appleseed Cast’s newest full-length, which is a trip into a massive void of reverb, is some sort of metaphor for this looming giant. It could be because the album is so massive in scope, or it could be because Mount Everest is so awesome. Either way, the nine songs comprising the band’s full length are an ode to all that is ethereal.
The instrumental opener, “As the Little Things Go,” offers melodious layers of guitars and percussion, sticking mainly toward a repetitive nature of movement. The music is serene and complete; unforced. However, at over eight minutes long, and without much distinction throughout the first half of the song, the listener may drift into ennui, even with the introduction of vocals after about six minutes. This, however, seems to be the main ailment of the album; too much repetition and post-rock (“Like A Locus”, “The Road West”). Indeed, I found myself glancing at the time-bar on my iPod rather early on.
Despite sometimes lengthy and repetitive arrangements, much of Sagarmatha is dramatic enough to knock the listener over with its wall of sound or coo him back with its earnestness.
Tracks like “A Bright Light,” and “An Army of Fire Flies” offer enough diversity to keep the listener interested by means of shoe-gaze, with heavily delayed and reverbed guitars and Jesse Lacy-ish vocals, sounding like they come from some deep well somewhere, with “An Army of Fire Flies” utilizing almost Latin-esque drums and groovy guitar. “South Col” leaves the ambient doldrums behind as well, using active drums and more commanding guitar parts while still harnessing the atmospherics, creating an engaging song complete with a piano break and a psychedelia inspired guitar closing.
“Raise the Sails” opens wonderfully in an eerie stop-start motion of dynamics. The comparison to Lacey and later Brand New is even more evident before breaking into an arrangement that is fast and lighter, feeling much warmer and inviting, as opposed to the dark opening. The dichotomy works.
“The Summer Before,” however, is the best song on the record. With a strikingly developed and wonderfully beautiful melody line, the lyrics, revolving around a summer in Arizona, resound with the listener in universality of ardent honesty, leaving the gloom behind to shed some light and warmth.
Sagarmatha is an opus, a melding of spacey and atmospheric elements, that although is sometimes drawn out, in the end is a wonderful release. Undeniably, music with post-rock leanings is lengthy by nature, and it’s fair to say that The Appleseed Cast pull it off sometimes in dramatic fashion and sometimes in pacifying moods. Although the band could draw comparisons with bands such as Explosions in the Sky and This Will Destroy You, their use of vocals and overall writing style solidifies the band as their own; mimicking but never stealing, admiring, but softly imitating. And with a February release, the band has set the tone, having written what’s sure to a record that hovers close to the top of nearly everyone’s end of the year lists.
Explosions in the Sky; Brand New; This Will Destroy You; Dredg
myspace.com/theappleseedcast (http://www.myspace.com/theappleseedcast)