I'm choosing this off of the New Music Tipsheet (google it!), which lists every new release for each Tuesday (the usual industry release day), even if it's a re-pressing or compilation of older works. It's pretty great to see how much actually still comes out each week to the stores. It must be a re-release or re-shipment, because their site (www.thisisnero.com) says it came out August 15th, 2011, but singles were coming off of it back in 2010 ("Innocence") before the actual release. They only peaked on the US Electronic charts (#9), and none of the singles have made it to any of our charts. A London based band that isn't huge in the US - sounds like I have some new music on my hands here, and exactly the kind of thing I was looking for when I started getting into this thing. Awesome!
Also, this band shares a name with my car.
Now that I've rambled, let's dive in to the unknown!
"2808"... wait is this a movie score? Are we blasting off into space? I like it as an intro track, though I'm hesitant to use the word track.
Oooohhhhh, it's one of these groups. Sweet. I haven't heard some of this since my roommate left for New York. "Doomsday" is track two, and I think now we're sort of following a story of sorts. Kind of. I mean, someone at least told us that we're in the year 2808. Yay timeframe! Seriously though, nice, we're going somewhere with this.
I think.. yes, we have indeed moved into the next track. "My Eyes" is really cool actually. There's lyrics, which is always helpful to me. I really like the mix of lyrical usage and music accompaniment. Dude... this could totally be a laser rock show...
Okay, I'm back on track. "Guilt" is intense... like, there's something clearly going on here to whomever she's talking to, and I love it. This is actually a song I think I could get into. These guys have an awesome way of using speed and dynamics to enhance emotion like crazy.
"Fugue State," I'm just not into quite as much as the previous two. It's not bad, but not my cup of tea. A little boring or too typical maybe?
We start off with an interesting almost violin marching sound for "Me and You." There's something orchestral about this one, then is goes back into the synth we've come to know and... um... love, at this point in the album. But yay for lyrics again. This one totally comes off as a great dance song to get a crowd going. This would make an awesome opening track, if not for the rocket launch that was track #1 on this one.
"Innocence" has a whiny voice, and if you've been reading, that's one of my pet peeves. If I wanted to listen to children and/or whining, I'd watch Playhouse Disney. The song title captures the voice and the subject - she's upset she can't get him or whatever. The maturer, lower tones are what are singing "innocence" back at her, so maybe there's something to be said for teaching a lesson. I hope.
"In The Way" makes me want to scream at first because it sounds like someone's just hitting random keys on a synth. It goes on to be a very trance-inducing track.. minus those damn random 'notes.' Too disruptive.
The next track's title, "Scorpions," has me a little intrigued. The beginning of it even fit the creepy nature I expected and, actually, half-hoped for. Then the melody of sorts comes in, furthering the feel. I enjoyed this one. It's really unique of the rest of the album, and I think hearing the different is what pulls a listener in sometimes, especially when the rest is unknown.
"Crush On You" actually had me a little scared before I heard it because the only history I have with a song with the same title was from Aaron Carter and Britney Spears. And I'll be damned, they are going for the Aaron Carter route. Yay sampling. I don't hate it, and would actually have fun with this one at a show since I know it. But this is not what I was game for. When the mixing comes back in, it's too familiar again, and I was expecting more creativity in something like this album seems to be providing. I enjoyed the verse actually though, despite the pitch. I just wish it had come a little bit sooner.
I only really have one problem with "Must Be The Feeling" which prevents me from really liking it, and again, it's the voice itself. I think I've come to the conclusion that this is someone older and effects have been used to make it sound like a prepubescent boy.
"Reaching Out" shook me for a loop, because it's clearly a man singing instead of a kid. Maybe there was supposed to be a growth journey in this whole album that I may have missed? Regardless, I like this one, even down to the simplicity of the lyrics: "reaching out for something to hold" is the main melody repeated. It's definitely about a search, even with the Starship Troopers sound behind it.
"Promises" puts us almost at the end of this very random journey I'm taking tonight. Seriously, this was on the New Release list, and that's why I'm doing it. Tuesday's are now new music days, if for nothing more that to give me ideas of what to write about. Anywhos, this track is fun and maybe even about being in love and enjoying it. I actually like the balance of the concept with the lyrics and the accompaniment. Actually.. the more I listen, the more into it I am. Nice.
"Departure" closes us out (of how appropriately titled). It's a much lighter retreat than the opening was, clearly showing some sort of acceptance and movement on. It's actually pretty gorgeous as instrumentals go. There's more to is than just a fade out, and I think it suggested the future, or even just a welcome to reality of life.
So what stuff wouldn't I mind hearing again?
- "My Eyes" -
- "Guilt" -
- "Scorpions" -
- "Reaching Out" -
- "Promises" -
5/14. Honestly, this is the kind of music I'll put on in the background when I need to get something done, because it doesn't require much thinking. It just sort of goes. And usually, I'll do it as a Pandora station, not on a whole-album basis. But a few songs did stand out to me, and I did add them to my rotation playlist to hear again.
As a side note, I started readying Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (yes the book the show's based off of), and hearing music this in the background of the first couple of chapters was a trip. Seriously, if you need some good background music for an out-there story, this could do wonders.
Thoughts? Strokes of brilliance? Suggestions? (Seriously, I'm low on them.) COMMENT!