Looking Glass Wars - A Place in a Parlor
Record Label: None
Release Date: November 26, 2008
There are few bands today that really make a dent in the "scene." There are bands like Brand New and Thrice who convince me they put their heart and souls into everything they do, and then there are bands like The Maine, a band that can most likely be mimicked by any barely post-pubescent group of teens.
Westchester, New York’s Looking Glass Wars are a band that can make a dent, and if they’re not well known right now, they damn sure deserve to be. The group, comprised of singer/guitarist Brendan Rivera, guitarist Kenny Fletcher, bassist Andrew Santucci, drummer Rich Barone and percussionist Phil DiRaffaele, have opted to release their newest effort, A Place in a Parlor, for free download. The record is short, spooky, infectious, and a huge improvement on the already impressive The Musician, which was released last year.
Things pick up right away with "Oh, What A Party It Will Be," as a menacing riff explodes into pounding guitars and drums. The track reveals the groups revamped sound with stop-start dynamics, a massive chorus, and a crushing ending filled with chunky guitars and double bass. "I and You" is a mid-tempo track with bouncy drum work and a nice solo.
"Addicted to Your Touch" has one of the catchiest choruses the group has written and is filled with epic jam sessions. The urgent, fast paced "Deuce! Deuce! Deuce!" closes the album with a soaring chorus and a wild ending filled with crazy guitar and rhythm work. It basically sounds like the guys are getting one last jam in before the album ends and they really give it their all. It’s awesome.
While every track on the record is memorable, "What Beats A Bear?" is what makes this album something special. The track is a haunting seven-minute journey through an array of tempos and musical themes, alternating between spooky waltzes, folk-like verses, and a dancey chorus. More bands should strive to write songs like this.
In short, this EP can be described as dark, fun, catchy, epic… the adjectives go on and on. Looking Glass Wars have done something with this record. They’ve created layers and atmospheres for their music where many bands would settle for a catchy hook. If you like genuine music that heroically distinguishes itself from that of its peers, I beg you to go download this.
Solid stuff once again from these guys...After a few spins I too believe that it's a slight improvement from their full lenght debut The Musician, this band certainly has the potential to go places.
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