Rating: 2.4
As a reviewer for Progressive Ears, I occasionally get sent albums to review. Usually, these are albums that I wouldn’t have bought otherwise. Sometimes, I get sent an album that is a real gem; other times, I get sent a dud. In the case of Straw Factory’s eponymous debut, neither of these is the case. Straw Factory is an album that is best described by the phrase “unrealized potential.” I can see the makings of a very good band in this release, but it just doesn’t reach that level.
The music is relaxing and pleasant, focusing on acoustic guitar and soothing vocals. It never really gets to the point where it rocks, and it’s not interesting enough to hold my full attention. The interesting ideas it presents do not tie themselves together into a cohesive whole. Perhaps the best way to sum up the overall effect of these flaws is that this is a very passive album. It’s not going to go out and grab your attention. If you want to enjoy it and sink into the music, you have to put in most of the effort. Because of that, the music suffers from a lack of replay value.
Not everything goes wrong, however. The music is very soothing and pleasant, a very soft type of alternative rock. The vocals are also quite nice (even if the lyrics are bland), relying on one main singer and several backup singers. These good traits are best seen on the songs “Vultures” and “Airplane,” which, not surprisingly, are the songs that do the best job of actually sucking you in, rather than making you do the work. The way I see it, if, on their next release, Straw Factory are able to emphasize these traits on all their songs, they could put together a strong album.
On this release, however, they have not done so. This is the type of album that sounds nice while you’re listening to it, but once it’s over, you have to wonder if it was really worth it. It’s not memorable, in short. While it’s a far cry from being a band album, it’s quite bland overall. A common comment on their Garageband page (which, so far as I can tell, is their only website) is that all the elements are there to make some really good music, except that their music lacks passion. You really can’t say it better than that. I hope these guys improve over time, because this album shows that they have the potential to become a good band. They’re just not there yet.
Showing posts with label progressiveears. Show all posts
Showing posts with label progressiveears. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
The 1000 Year Plan - In Theory & Practice (2007)
Rating: 6.6
Math rock is one of the genres I have most recently gotten into, to such an extent that I would nominate the album Mirrored by Battles as one of the top candidates for album of the year (2007). Of course, that’s not the only good math rock CD of this year; I know of at least one other, In Theory & Practice by The 1000 Year Plan. While not quite at the level of Mirrored, In Theory & Practice is still a wonderful album without a weak song on it.
In theory, given that it’s math rock, you might expect the music to be cold, impersonal, unwelcoming. In practice, however, the only really unwelcoming thing about this album are the annoyingly long (and somewhat stupid, if you ask me) track titles. Otherwise, the music, while still lower in emotional content than non-math rock, actually does manage to speak to the listener on multiple levels, making for an interesting listen, to say the least.
In theory, again given that it’s math rock, you might expect the music to be technical. In practice, you would be correct. The musicians definitely know what they are doing, and they execute it flawlessly. And thus what is just an “interesting listen” before becomes a captivating listen. While technical skill does not a good album make, it can certainly help, and this is one of those cases.
In theory, you’d expect any band to at least have some clear influences. In practice, that holds true for the 1000 Year Plan. While I can’t namedrop references as I’m still new to the genre, In Theory & Practice sounds like most other math rock I’ve heard. There definitely is a sense of a lack of originality to the album, to be perfectly honest.
In theory, that makes it somewhat unessential, as it’s been done before and it’s been done better. In practice, on the other hand, the strong songwriting means that should appeal to all math rock fans. I can’t see it becoming a landmark of the genre or spreading out into the mainstream of music, but for the realm within which it exists, it is definitely very good and worth hearing.
In theory, music like this would earn fans for itself. In practice, however, I would recommend to the band to use the internet a bit more; a Google search of “the 1000 year plan” and “in theory and practice” came up with zero results.
Math rock is one of the genres I have most recently gotten into, to such an extent that I would nominate the album Mirrored by Battles as one of the top candidates for album of the year (2007). Of course, that’s not the only good math rock CD of this year; I know of at least one other, In Theory & Practice by The 1000 Year Plan. While not quite at the level of Mirrored, In Theory & Practice is still a wonderful album without a weak song on it.
In theory, given that it’s math rock, you might expect the music to be cold, impersonal, unwelcoming. In practice, however, the only really unwelcoming thing about this album are the annoyingly long (and somewhat stupid, if you ask me) track titles. Otherwise, the music, while still lower in emotional content than non-math rock, actually does manage to speak to the listener on multiple levels, making for an interesting listen, to say the least.
In theory, again given that it’s math rock, you might expect the music to be technical. In practice, you would be correct. The musicians definitely know what they are doing, and they execute it flawlessly. And thus what is just an “interesting listen” before becomes a captivating listen. While technical skill does not a good album make, it can certainly help, and this is one of those cases.
In theory, you’d expect any band to at least have some clear influences. In practice, that holds true for the 1000 Year Plan. While I can’t namedrop references as I’m still new to the genre, In Theory & Practice sounds like most other math rock I’ve heard. There definitely is a sense of a lack of originality to the album, to be perfectly honest.
In theory, that makes it somewhat unessential, as it’s been done before and it’s been done better. In practice, on the other hand, the strong songwriting means that should appeal to all math rock fans. I can’t see it becoming a landmark of the genre or spreading out into the mainstream of music, but for the realm within which it exists, it is definitely very good and worth hearing.
In theory, music like this would earn fans for itself. In practice, however, I would recommend to the band to use the internet a bit more; a Google search of “the 1000 year plan” and “in theory and practice” came up with zero results.
Imogene - Imogene (2006)
Rating: 7.2
Imogene is a new band who gave earned some attention for their semi-unique instrument combination and the places they take it, and it’s not hard to see why. Using a distorted eight string bass, a four string bass, keyboards, and drums, Imogene attempt to keep themselves away from retro throwbacks, and, with that goal in mind, have released their self-titled debut. Imogene is a very good album, combining psychedelic elements with strong grooves with atmospheric keyboards and just the slightest hint (at times) of heaviness. In their own words, if one had to reference them to other bands, they might be called “Pink Sabbath” or “Radio Queens of the Stone Head.”
Both of those are certainly good analogies. Every so often (such as in the song “Paper Dolls”), a riff comes by that calls to mind memories of Paranoid, perhaps even backed (again, as in the case of “Paper Dolls”) by the types of keyboards that wouldn’t sound out of place on “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” or one of Radiohead’s more atmospheric works. “Seraphim,” on the other hand, is almost pure Radiohead, what with the tight drum beat and the very Hail to the Thiefesque keyboards, admittedly with bass instead of guitar, though that’s a small subtlety that doesn’t really shine through. That song looked more at the atmospheric end of Radiohead, however, and so we also have “Not to Be” and “Wasteoids,” which take their cues from heavier, crunchier Radiohead songs like “Myxamatosis.” I’ve admittedly not heard Queens of the Stone Age, so I can’t compare, but given the accuracy of the first three comparisons, I can only assume it holds true for the fourth. In this sense, they don’t quite succeed at their goal of not sounding retro. They sound different, for sure, but much of what they do finds very strong roots in older, established sounds.
But, as I said, they do sound different. The vocalist gives the music a very drugged-out atmosphere, taking a cue or two from stoner rock. Just give “Wormwood Raindrops” a listen. Or just listen to any random song, and you’ll hear something different. That’s the key success of this album. It manages to reference a lot of well-known and well-liked bands and musical styles, then combines them in interesting manners to create compact, concise songs that simply work well together. Indeed, despite the variety of influences present on the album, it sounds like a remarkably cohesive whole. The quality is almost unchanging throughout (though I will note that the last two songs are significantly weaker than the rest), making for a remarkably even listen. Nothing really stands out (though I do have an affinity for “Wormwood Raindrops” and “Seraphim”), but nothing lets down either (until the end), meaning that I can listen all the way through without ever finding myself bored. That is itself quite an accomplishment.
Thus, even though Imogene haven’t quite conquered the retro aspects of their sound, they have managed to create an excellent CD that stands up well on its own but also leaves plenty of room for improvement. I fully expect that these guys will achieve even greater heights in the future. In the meantime, however, I think I’ll just through on Imogene again.
And again.
Imogene is a new band who gave earned some attention for their semi-unique instrument combination and the places they take it, and it’s not hard to see why. Using a distorted eight string bass, a four string bass, keyboards, and drums, Imogene attempt to keep themselves away from retro throwbacks, and, with that goal in mind, have released their self-titled debut. Imogene is a very good album, combining psychedelic elements with strong grooves with atmospheric keyboards and just the slightest hint (at times) of heaviness. In their own words, if one had to reference them to other bands, they might be called “Pink Sabbath” or “Radio Queens of the Stone Head.”
Both of those are certainly good analogies. Every so often (such as in the song “Paper Dolls”), a riff comes by that calls to mind memories of Paranoid, perhaps even backed (again, as in the case of “Paper Dolls”) by the types of keyboards that wouldn’t sound out of place on “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” or one of Radiohead’s more atmospheric works. “Seraphim,” on the other hand, is almost pure Radiohead, what with the tight drum beat and the very Hail to the Thiefesque keyboards, admittedly with bass instead of guitar, though that’s a small subtlety that doesn’t really shine through. That song looked more at the atmospheric end of Radiohead, however, and so we also have “Not to Be” and “Wasteoids,” which take their cues from heavier, crunchier Radiohead songs like “Myxamatosis.” I’ve admittedly not heard Queens of the Stone Age, so I can’t compare, but given the accuracy of the first three comparisons, I can only assume it holds true for the fourth. In this sense, they don’t quite succeed at their goal of not sounding retro. They sound different, for sure, but much of what they do finds very strong roots in older, established sounds.
But, as I said, they do sound different. The vocalist gives the music a very drugged-out atmosphere, taking a cue or two from stoner rock. Just give “Wormwood Raindrops” a listen. Or just listen to any random song, and you’ll hear something different. That’s the key success of this album. It manages to reference a lot of well-known and well-liked bands and musical styles, then combines them in interesting manners to create compact, concise songs that simply work well together. Indeed, despite the variety of influences present on the album, it sounds like a remarkably cohesive whole. The quality is almost unchanging throughout (though I will note that the last two songs are significantly weaker than the rest), making for a remarkably even listen. Nothing really stands out (though I do have an affinity for “Wormwood Raindrops” and “Seraphim”), but nothing lets down either (until the end), meaning that I can listen all the way through without ever finding myself bored. That is itself quite an accomplishment.
Thus, even though Imogene haven’t quite conquered the retro aspects of their sound, they have managed to create an excellent CD that stands up well on its own but also leaves plenty of room for improvement. I fully expect that these guys will achieve even greater heights in the future. In the meantime, however, I think I’ll just through on Imogene again.
And again.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Calle Debauche - Potemkin Carnival (2007)
Rating: 7.1
Mohadev, guitarist and keyboardist for Calle Debauche contacted me about reviewing this album, noting that I enjoy the music of the bands that most influenced Calle Debauche (among them Sleepytime Gorilla Museum). Naturally, I couldn't say no, and, as a result, I now have the pleasure of reviewing one of the better CDs of 2007, a real gem of an album.
Right from the start, this album is a success. The cover art is abstract, beautiful, and engaging, three qualities I greatly enjoy in music, and thus, naturally, my interest was immediately piqued. Putting the CD in the player, I was overjoyed to learn that the album lives up to the impression created by the cover art. In short, this is an engaging, beautiful, and somewhat abstract album. It jumps all over the place stylistically, but unlike so many other genre-hopping bands, it really manages to tie everything together, and thus it is also cohesive, perhaps the most important quality a CD can have (and certainly one of the most important). On top of all that, with a running time of only 33:00, there is no room for unnecessary notes, and none are present. Rather than filling a CD for the sake of... filling a CD, Calle Debauche limit Potemkin Carnival to the ideas they have with no excess, and what wonderful ideas they have.
As I said, this album jumps all over the place stylistically, keeping me on my toes throughout. Even within one song, this is true. Take, for example, the track "Adults." It starts out beautiful and relatively soft, then explodes into a hard rocking fun before ending with a short, beautiful outro. All around, it is a well-constructed song. On the next track, however, we're in completely different territory, with a wildly avant-garde burst of instruments that leaves having developed itself fully and just in time so as to not become annoying, once again showing the band's well-developed sense of restraint. On "Hey Hotdogs!" we are once again off in new direction, this time looking towards upbeat, fast-paced jazz-fusion that is sure to delight (it's my favorite on the album). Adorned with silly vocals, this is the type of song that's sure to bring a smile to your face. And so on. Every track on the album is both similar in strengths and different in style, making for a wonderfully varied yet consistent ride.
I'd highly recommend this band to anybody looking for good modern music that holds the prog torch high without any of the stereotypical flaws associated with the 70s giants. By combining just the right amount of everything, Calle Debauche have proven themselves wonderful bakers in cooking up this CD. A highlight of 2007 by all criteria.
Mohadev, guitarist and keyboardist for Calle Debauche contacted me about reviewing this album, noting that I enjoy the music of the bands that most influenced Calle Debauche (among them Sleepytime Gorilla Museum). Naturally, I couldn't say no, and, as a result, I now have the pleasure of reviewing one of the better CDs of 2007, a real gem of an album.
Right from the start, this album is a success. The cover art is abstract, beautiful, and engaging, three qualities I greatly enjoy in music, and thus, naturally, my interest was immediately piqued. Putting the CD in the player, I was overjoyed to learn that the album lives up to the impression created by the cover art. In short, this is an engaging, beautiful, and somewhat abstract album. It jumps all over the place stylistically, but unlike so many other genre-hopping bands, it really manages to tie everything together, and thus it is also cohesive, perhaps the most important quality a CD can have (and certainly one of the most important). On top of all that, with a running time of only 33:00, there is no room for unnecessary notes, and none are present. Rather than filling a CD for the sake of... filling a CD, Calle Debauche limit Potemkin Carnival to the ideas they have with no excess, and what wonderful ideas they have.
As I said, this album jumps all over the place stylistically, keeping me on my toes throughout. Even within one song, this is true. Take, for example, the track "Adults." It starts out beautiful and relatively soft, then explodes into a hard rocking fun before ending with a short, beautiful outro. All around, it is a well-constructed song. On the next track, however, we're in completely different territory, with a wildly avant-garde burst of instruments that leaves having developed itself fully and just in time so as to not become annoying, once again showing the band's well-developed sense of restraint. On "Hey Hotdogs!" we are once again off in new direction, this time looking towards upbeat, fast-paced jazz-fusion that is sure to delight (it's my favorite on the album). Adorned with silly vocals, this is the type of song that's sure to bring a smile to your face. And so on. Every track on the album is both similar in strengths and different in style, making for a wonderfully varied yet consistent ride.
I'd highly recommend this band to anybody looking for good modern music that holds the prog torch high without any of the stereotypical flaws associated with the 70s giants. By combining just the right amount of everything, Calle Debauche have proven themselves wonderful bakers in cooking up this CD. A highlight of 2007 by all criteria.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Al Di Meola - Diabolic Inventions and Seduction for Solo Guitar (2007)
Rating: 4.8
Having been interested in the music of Al Di Meola for quite some time, when I saw the opportunity to receive one of his CDs to review, I naturally jumped. I might have been better off doing some research, however, as this is not Al Di Meola playing Al Di Meola, but rather Al Di Meola playing Astor Piazzolla, an artist about whom I know nothing. A bit disappointing (as you might imagine), but, on the bright side, it allowed me to be introduced to two new artists.
Sadly, listening to this album, I came away with two major impressions. First, that Al Di Meola is a *really* good guitarist (though I knew that already from what I had read). Second, that Astor Piazzolla's music, while performed wonderfully by Di Meola, simply isn't the type of music I enjoy listening to in general. It's certainly not bad - if you like tango music, you will probably really enjoy this music (from what I gather from the sparse liner notes, Astor's work is fairly highly regarded in the tango loving community). I can safely say that Di Meola does a good job of performing this music, both in the technical and emotional aspects, and thus, as a tribute to Piazzolla, this album probably deserves a higher ranking than what I have given it.
However, there is one key flaw with this album that hinders my enjoyment of it besides the fact that I just am not a fan of this type of music (though I certainly don't dislike it, I'm just not familiar with it). This album is solely for guitar, and thus it feels very much one dimensional. Di Meola does the best he can on guitar, and that's quite a lot, but it still feels somewhat dry and tasteless without any instruments, no matter how subdued they might theoretically be, backing him up. Thus, changes in energy are diminished in effect across the album, among other problems. Now, to be fair, Al Di Meola doesn't just play Piazzolla's music — he throws syncopated rhythms into the mix where they had been absent — but, having not heard the original music, I have no idea how this affects the album as a whole, and therefore cannot allow it to influence my rating.
While certainly not a bad CD, and even a rather pleasant one when I'm in the mood for something different, Diabolic Inventions and Seduction for Solo Guitar is also certainly not the CD that's going to turn me on to Di Meola's music, Astor Piazzolla's music, or tango music in general. In that sense, while a nice tribute to Piazzolla, this album does not succeed in its aim. I certainly haven't given up on Di Meola (or tango), but I came away from this CD wondering if there really was a useful purpose served from it besides satsifying Di Meola's wish to perform the music of a friend.
Having been interested in the music of Al Di Meola for quite some time, when I saw the opportunity to receive one of his CDs to review, I naturally jumped. I might have been better off doing some research, however, as this is not Al Di Meola playing Al Di Meola, but rather Al Di Meola playing Astor Piazzolla, an artist about whom I know nothing. A bit disappointing (as you might imagine), but, on the bright side, it allowed me to be introduced to two new artists.
Sadly, listening to this album, I came away with two major impressions. First, that Al Di Meola is a *really* good guitarist (though I knew that already from what I had read). Second, that Astor Piazzolla's music, while performed wonderfully by Di Meola, simply isn't the type of music I enjoy listening to in general. It's certainly not bad - if you like tango music, you will probably really enjoy this music (from what I gather from the sparse liner notes, Astor's work is fairly highly regarded in the tango loving community). I can safely say that Di Meola does a good job of performing this music, both in the technical and emotional aspects, and thus, as a tribute to Piazzolla, this album probably deserves a higher ranking than what I have given it.
However, there is one key flaw with this album that hinders my enjoyment of it besides the fact that I just am not a fan of this type of music (though I certainly don't dislike it, I'm just not familiar with it). This album is solely for guitar, and thus it feels very much one dimensional. Di Meola does the best he can on guitar, and that's quite a lot, but it still feels somewhat dry and tasteless without any instruments, no matter how subdued they might theoretically be, backing him up. Thus, changes in energy are diminished in effect across the album, among other problems. Now, to be fair, Al Di Meola doesn't just play Piazzolla's music — he throws syncopated rhythms into the mix where they had been absent — but, having not heard the original music, I have no idea how this affects the album as a whole, and therefore cannot allow it to influence my rating.
While certainly not a bad CD, and even a rather pleasant one when I'm in the mood for something different, Diabolic Inventions and Seduction for Solo Guitar is also certainly not the CD that's going to turn me on to Di Meola's music, Astor Piazzolla's music, or tango music in general. In that sense, while a nice tribute to Piazzolla, this album does not succeed in its aim. I certainly haven't given up on Di Meola (or tango), but I came away from this CD wondering if there really was a useful purpose served from it besides satsifying Di Meola's wish to perform the music of a friend.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Martini Henry - End of the Beginning (2006)
Rating: 7.4
Martini Henry’s latest (and first, I believe) release, End of the Beginning, is an example of an album where the band does everything right. While they base themselves around a fairly standard alternative rock sound, they are able to take it further than any other band I know. Swirling effects, acoustic guitar, soaring vocals, and a tight rhythm section all come together to create a stunning product that is worthy of many listens. This album ranks as one of the very best ProgressiveEars has sent me to review, along with Quodia’s The Arrow and Sgt. Sunshine’s Black Hole. It’s not perfect, but it’s about as good as I’ve seen this style of music done.
Truth be told, I wasn’t too enthused when I read exactly what style of music this band played, especially since they are a power trio (a fine combo of instruments when utilized properly, but one that is far too often used to produce bland music). Once I popped the CD into the player, however, all of my doubts vanished. The music, while not particularly groundbreaking, simply sounds really good. The songs are catchy, perfectly blending standard alternative rock with progressive tendencies (such as shifting time signatures, I believe), creating an uplifting album that always brings a smile to my face.
Even as I say that this is a brilliant album, however, I also point out that the music is fairly standard. How do these two reconcile? Easy: the vocals. It’s not often that a band is graced with such a gifted vocalist as Martini Henry. Not only does Matt Groboski (who also plays guitar) have a beautiful voice, he really knows how to use it. His vocals are dynamic and passionate, pouring emotion into every syllable. They are warm and uplifting, able to take a catchy song that is merely good and turn it into something great. The lyrics that he sings aren’t anything special, but they’re leagues above most of the lyrics out there, which is a relief. Too often I hear a band with a lot of promise whose music is absolutely ruined by the appalling lyrics. Not so here. In part, the lyrics themselves are decent, but there’s also the fact that Groboski makes everything sound better when he sings.
Now that I’ve devoted an entire paragraph to Groboski, perhaps I also ought to mention Garrett Henritz (drums) and Ken Moore (bass), who comprise the awesome rhythm section that backs up Groboski’s wonderful acoustic guitar. I’ll give a particular nod to Henritz, who doesn’t fall into the trap of playing standard, repetitive beats that has really only been used well by the Krautrock greats such as CAN and NEU! (and even CAN weren’t that standard). Instead, Henritz plays varied beats that mesh well with each other while still holding my interest. The result is that the wonderful guitar and bass work is accentuated with an energy that helps (along with the vocals) to lift the music.
So, I really must ask, what are you waiting for? Go get this cd right away. Not sure you want to spend money on it? As far as I can tell, it’s available for free from their website (www.martini-henry.com). For a band named after a type of rifle, Martini Henry show that violence does not always help music, taking reasonably gentle music and making it engaging. The only significant problem with this cd is that “Airaid” noodles for about six minutes before it becomes the awesome instrumental of the last ten minutes. Other than that, End of the Beginning shows an awesome band creating awesome music. There are some similarities to Porcupine Tree (minus the heaviness), except that whereas Porcupine Tree is a grim, almost morbid band, Martini Henry are uplifting. On their website, the band have said, “With the release of “End of the Beginning,” the group feels confident that they have produced a quality product worthy of representing the band after the show is over.” I must say, I agree. Recommended.
Martini Henry’s latest (and first, I believe) release, End of the Beginning, is an example of an album where the band does everything right. While they base themselves around a fairly standard alternative rock sound, they are able to take it further than any other band I know. Swirling effects, acoustic guitar, soaring vocals, and a tight rhythm section all come together to create a stunning product that is worthy of many listens. This album ranks as one of the very best ProgressiveEars has sent me to review, along with Quodia’s The Arrow and Sgt. Sunshine’s Black Hole. It’s not perfect, but it’s about as good as I’ve seen this style of music done.
Truth be told, I wasn’t too enthused when I read exactly what style of music this band played, especially since they are a power trio (a fine combo of instruments when utilized properly, but one that is far too often used to produce bland music). Once I popped the CD into the player, however, all of my doubts vanished. The music, while not particularly groundbreaking, simply sounds really good. The songs are catchy, perfectly blending standard alternative rock with progressive tendencies (such as shifting time signatures, I believe), creating an uplifting album that always brings a smile to my face.
Even as I say that this is a brilliant album, however, I also point out that the music is fairly standard. How do these two reconcile? Easy: the vocals. It’s not often that a band is graced with such a gifted vocalist as Martini Henry. Not only does Matt Groboski (who also plays guitar) have a beautiful voice, he really knows how to use it. His vocals are dynamic and passionate, pouring emotion into every syllable. They are warm and uplifting, able to take a catchy song that is merely good and turn it into something great. The lyrics that he sings aren’t anything special, but they’re leagues above most of the lyrics out there, which is a relief. Too often I hear a band with a lot of promise whose music is absolutely ruined by the appalling lyrics. Not so here. In part, the lyrics themselves are decent, but there’s also the fact that Groboski makes everything sound better when he sings.
Now that I’ve devoted an entire paragraph to Groboski, perhaps I also ought to mention Garrett Henritz (drums) and Ken Moore (bass), who comprise the awesome rhythm section that backs up Groboski’s wonderful acoustic guitar. I’ll give a particular nod to Henritz, who doesn’t fall into the trap of playing standard, repetitive beats that has really only been used well by the Krautrock greats such as CAN and NEU! (and even CAN weren’t that standard). Instead, Henritz plays varied beats that mesh well with each other while still holding my interest. The result is that the wonderful guitar and bass work is accentuated with an energy that helps (along with the vocals) to lift the music.
So, I really must ask, what are you waiting for? Go get this cd right away. Not sure you want to spend money on it? As far as I can tell, it’s available for free from their website (www.martini-henry.com). For a band named after a type of rifle, Martini Henry show that violence does not always help music, taking reasonably gentle music and making it engaging. The only significant problem with this cd is that “Airaid” noodles for about six minutes before it becomes the awesome instrumental of the last ten minutes. Other than that, End of the Beginning shows an awesome band creating awesome music. There are some similarities to Porcupine Tree (minus the heaviness), except that whereas Porcupine Tree is a grim, almost morbid band, Martini Henry are uplifting. On their website, the band have said, “With the release of “End of the Beginning,” the group feels confident that they have produced a quality product worthy of representing the band after the show is over.” I must say, I agree. Recommended.
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