This one came in as a request from one of my bat friends, Yatri. Now, let me start off by explaining the nature that is Yatz. He is wise - not just smart (though he's very intelligent). He's got a way of looking at things and discussing them with you that makes you angry and excited all at once. We don't argue - we discuss, and there's usually some really cool passion for whatever we're talking about. He asks good questions and doesn't judge if you don't know every detail.
That said, when Yatz and I start talking about music, my major passion in life, our discussions are incredible. When he tells me to give something new a chance, I do. Hence this post!
So, this band, The Tea Party, originates with Jeff Martin form Windsor, Ontario. He was influenced by the proto-punch and Motown sounds from across the Detroit River, as well as his blues-loving father. This band includes Stuart Chatwood and Jeff Burrows, and they are described as blending rock, "Middle Eastern, Celtic, and Mediterranean music."
Far out! Let's do this!
"Fire In The Head" is first up, and I'm a little taken aback right at the start. The guitar picking is intriguing from the opening notes, with a mysterious deep voice taking control as it moves in. There's a sweet creepy factor happening that's bone chilling. The different elements noted above are, in fact, all in the song, but you just sort of realize them piece by piece throughout. I can't put my finger on the total meld quite yet.
That said, when Yatz and I start talking about music, my major passion in life, our discussions are incredible. When he tells me to give something new a chance, I do. Hence this post!
So, this band, The Tea Party, originates with Jeff Martin form Windsor, Ontario. He was influenced by the proto-punch and Motown sounds from across the Detroit River, as well as his blues-loving father. This band includes Stuart Chatwood and Jeff Burrows, and they are described as blending rock, "Middle Eastern, Celtic, and Mediterranean music."
Far out! Let's do this!
"Fire In The Head" is first up, and I'm a little taken aback right at the start. The guitar picking is intriguing from the opening notes, with a mysterious deep voice taking control as it moves in. There's a sweet creepy factor happening that's bone chilling. The different elements noted above are, in fact, all in the song, but you just sort of realize them piece by piece throughout. I can't put my finger on the total meld quite yet.
All right, there we go. "The Bazaar" has a much different sound than your in-American tracks. Here are the Middle Eastern influences, front and center on an electric guitar. It's sort of a wild combo of effects and sounds going on that I would have never expected to be done.
"Correspondences" is very long and very slow and very tough to stay awake to after such a long day as mine. It's a classing long, drawn-out rock song that you can imagine the musicians are just completely loosing themselves in, but I don't know that there's a regard here to what fans want. It's very hard for us, mentally, to sit through a song more than three minutes long, so just the idea of seven+ is very tough. Not impossible to enjoy, just not enticing enough to be willing at every moment.
Next up is "The Badger." Insert some witty remark about badgers here. The Celtic sound is afoot - those are distant pipe sounds if I'm not mistaken, at the beginning. The guitar picking that comes in to join them about a minute in it surprisingly beautiful, and the classical sound that it launches in to is completed unexpected. Where did THIS come from? This is absolutely gorgeous, and totally brings on a new respect for the band able to produce it. Here's an old live video of the song:
"Correspondences" is very long and very slow and very tough to stay awake to after such a long day as mine. It's a classing long, drawn-out rock song that you can imagine the musicians are just completely loosing themselves in, but I don't know that there's a regard here to what fans want. It's very hard for us, mentally, to sit through a song more than three minutes long, so just the idea of seven+ is very tough. Not impossible to enjoy, just not enticing enough to be willing at every moment.
Next up is "The Badger." Insert some witty remark about badgers here. The Celtic sound is afoot - those are distant pipe sounds if I'm not mistaken, at the beginning. The guitar picking that comes in to join them about a minute in it surprisingly beautiful, and the classical sound that it launches in to is completed unexpected. Where did THIS come from? This is absolutely gorgeous, and totally brings on a new respect for the band able to produce it. Here's an old live video of the song:
"Silence" is certainly anything but. We're back to a slightly twisted sounding vocal lead, and this time a very Indian-sounding rhythm throughout. The instrumentation in this can only be described in words as bazaar, but I don't mean that in the sense of weird. I literally mean that this should be the background music in a scene of a movie with a bazaar.
No lie, thought I was about to hear "Screaming Infidelities" at the start of "Sister Awake." Instead, we get a gentle sitar overcoming the strumming guitar with a low voice. It's the sound of a quiet opening, with a pick up about a minute and a half in. The dance gets crazy and hypnotic. The visions you could have while listening to this are so pretty; so cathartic. The, around 2:20, the drums kick in and the rock sound melds itself in. I'm totally confused by this sound and I am adoring every moment.
"Turn the Lamp Down Low" is a deep, more solemn song for the night. It definitely picks up around 2:45 with intensity. There's something so dark and hot and awesome about this - I love it. More please. Some kind of psychedelic rock is happening without being overly obvious about it. If I wasn't at work, I'd totally get my hippie dance on.
And we're back to something totally soft and sweet and sentimental sounding for "Shadows On The Mountainside." It's like if "Lord of the Rings" actually took on a folk sound. This is so incredibly quiet, I'm almost shocked. Sure, there's the deepness to it, creating an ominous feeling throughout, but it remains just on the edge of fascinating. Something weird and wonderful seems to be happening in this music.
No lie, thought I was about to hear "Screaming Infidelities" at the start of "Sister Awake." Instead, we get a gentle sitar overcoming the strumming guitar with a low voice. It's the sound of a quiet opening, with a pick up about a minute and a half in. The dance gets crazy and hypnotic. The visions you could have while listening to this are so pretty; so cathartic. The, around 2:20, the drums kick in and the rock sound melds itself in. I'm totally confused by this sound and I am adoring every moment.
"Turn the Lamp Down Low" is a deep, more solemn song for the night. It definitely picks up around 2:45 with intensity. There's something so dark and hot and awesome about this - I love it. More please. Some kind of psychedelic rock is happening without being overly obvious about it. If I wasn't at work, I'd totally get my hippie dance on.
And we're back to something totally soft and sweet and sentimental sounding for "Shadows On The Mountainside." It's like if "Lord of the Rings" actually took on a folk sound. This is so incredibly quiet, I'm almost shocked. Sure, there's the deepness to it, creating an ominous feeling throughout, but it remains just on the edge of fascinating. Something weird and wonderful seems to be happening in this music.
"Drawing Down The Moon" brings on just a twinge more creepiness, as it really down feel like a sickening spiral downwards into darkness. I'd venture to say this is the darkest song on the album, but we till have three more tracks to prove otherwise. It's not bad, but it's nothing I'd be interested in getting farther in to. It's just a bit much to handle overall. Plus I'm working nights and it's not easy hearing tiring low much like this.
I'll be honest, I tuned out "Inanna" and I don't care. The bit my conscious seemed to catch played off as annoying and I just wasn't having it.
"Coming Home" seems to 'bring it home' with some rougher rock licks. Late nights at work suck for reviews as much as they rock (hey, when else am I going to have time? - A girl needs her sleep) because of exhaustion and distractions, this is no exception. Actually, I think I like the lyrics/story in this one a lot, or at least the bits I'm catching.
Okay, fully concentrating for this final song that's only… 14 minutes long!! Ah, there's a note - the full thing is: "Walk With Me (Contains Hidden Track "The Edges Of Twilight")." Makes more sense now. So technically, this second-to-last song is a slow build of electronic noise until the dark vocal sound and hard hitting drop. It doesn't really slow down from there for the remaining 6 minutes or so of the 7 minute long first song. The hidden track picks up somewhere around the 8/8:30 mark (I was busy trying to beat my family in Solitaire Blitz). The first bit is all spoke word about the Goddess drawing near, set to slow ominous metal guitar backing, and then it all goes silent again at about 10 minutes. At 12 minutes I'm uncomfortably still sitting in silence, alone in my office. 14 minutes! There's something! A quick little door slam and… that's it. Done.
Added to My Playlist:
Nice one Yatz, very nice one.
I'll be honest, I tuned out "Inanna" and I don't care. The bit my conscious seemed to catch played off as annoying and I just wasn't having it.
"Coming Home" seems to 'bring it home' with some rougher rock licks. Late nights at work suck for reviews as much as they rock (hey, when else am I going to have time? - A girl needs her sleep) because of exhaustion and distractions, this is no exception. Actually, I think I like the lyrics/story in this one a lot, or at least the bits I'm catching.
Okay, fully concentrating for this final song that's only… 14 minutes long!! Ah, there's a note - the full thing is: "Walk With Me (Contains Hidden Track "The Edges Of Twilight")." Makes more sense now. So technically, this second-to-last song is a slow build of electronic noise until the dark vocal sound and hard hitting drop. It doesn't really slow down from there for the remaining 6 minutes or so of the 7 minute long first song. The hidden track picks up somewhere around the 8/8:30 mark (I was busy trying to beat my family in Solitaire Blitz). The first bit is all spoke word about the Goddess drawing near, set to slow ominous metal guitar backing, and then it all goes silent again at about 10 minutes. At 12 minutes I'm uncomfortably still sitting in silence, alone in my office. 14 minutes! There's something! A quick little door slam and… that's it. Done.
Added to My Playlist:
- "The Badger"
- "Sister Awake"
- "Turn the Lamp Down Low"
Nice one Yatz, very nice one.
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