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Alt-rock goes Gothic with The Pixies’ “Beneath the Eyrie” Album

September 26, 2019 by Sonja Michaels Leave a Comment

Alternative rock veterans the Pixies took to a converted church to record their seventh album, “Beneath the Eyrie.”

The influence of gothic styles and indie tones supplement the albums alt-rock core, bringing unique accents to the Pixies’ signature sound.

The Pixies turn to their expert use of dynamics throughout the album, showcasing a balanced interaction of quiet and loud.

The few tracks that do not stand on their own are still part of the album’s excellent production, maintaining a cohesive sound all the way through.

“In the Arms of Mrs. Mark of Cain” opens the album with a perfectly blended mix of crystal clear percussion, grungy guitars and rich, crackling vocals.

It sets a vibe that brings words like “creepy” and “sinister” to mind.

The lead single “On Graveyard Hill” continues the gothic sound and theme the group intended for the album, according to lead vocalist Charles Thompson IV, widely known by his stage name Black Francis.

The sound is much more ‘90s than 2010s.

Pez Lenchantin’s work on the bass is outstanding here, and provides a backbone that encourages the listener to groove along with the “In the witching hour/In the witching hour” hook.

Official album art by BMG

The gothic feeling is lifted, if only temporarily, with “Catfish Kate,” a bright, indie tune paired with a vivid music video to match.

The next track, “This Is My Fate,” pulls things right back into the dark style.

The precise mixture of bass and piano provides a deep, bouncing sound in the background, reminiscent of an upright bass.

“Silver Bullet” is excellently produced and creative, a shift from the measured, predictable “Ready for Love.”

One of the most outstanding features of “Silver Bullet” is its powerful guitar riff.

While the rest of the song has a generally calm demeanor, with soft guitars and relaxed percussion from David Lovering, this fueled-up riff brings power and substance.

In that sense, it is a classic Pixies track; the group has dynamics down to science, shifting from quiet to loud at just the right time.

The converted church setting the Pixies recorded in seems fitting when listening to a track like “Los Surfers Muertos,” and when looking back at the Pixies’ previous work.

As primary songwriter, Francis has long gravitated towards biblical imagery, dark aesthetics and unusual topics.

Unusual is a fitting term for “Bird of Prey” when compared to the album as a whole; behind the dark timbres of Francis’ vocals and Joey Santiago’s lead guitar, an almost country-like rhythm guitar fills out the sound space.

It is especially noticeable in the chorus and refrain, as the phrase “little birdie” is repeated softly.

The second-to-last track, “Daniel Boone,” maintains the dark aesthetic of the album, but ventures into brighter tones and timbres.

It is a relaxing track well-suited for a long drive, or even to sleep; while the song is not boring, its swelling, atmospheric instrumentals could definitely lull the listener to an indie-induced sleep.

Things are sealed off with the gothic-indie tune “Death Horizon.”

Bright vocal harmonies contradict the song title, and the instrumental is simple and well-blended. It is a short and sweet ending to the album.

Throughout this album, unexpected sounds and instruments come into play, while other instruments are measured and perfected.

While one or two tracks act more as atmospheric fillers than stand alone tracks, these are contrasted by strong tracks like “Silver Bullet” and “This Is My Fate.”

The album as a whole features creative choices and masterful songwriting.

“Beneath the Eyrie” sounds like the work of mature, experienced alt-rockers.

Filed Under: Entertainment, Music, Opinion Tagged With: album, alternative rock, beneath the eyrie, music, music review, pixies, review

An Experiment in Metal: King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard ’s Infest the Rats’ Nest Album Review

September 10, 2019 by Sonja Michaels 1 Comment

Sonja Michaels | Staff Writer

King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard performing at Brookyln Steel. Photo by Andrew Blackstein.

Australian rock band King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard released their fifteenth studio album, “Infest the Rats’ Nest,” on Aug. 16 as an experimental look back upon old school metal and psychedelic rock.

The album’s style is pleasantly cluttered.

There is a lot going on in the sound space, and not a single instrument is left unattended to.

Effects are used tastefully to create a balance of clarity and distortion.

Some of the more refined sounds call back to psychedelic rock, adding a trippy flair to familiar metal roots.

Official album art by ATO.

Powerful bass lines from Joey Walker blend with full, thrash-inspired guitars, driven by consistent all-out drumming from Michael Cavanagh.

The second track, “Mars For The Rich,” is a standout.

For four and a half minutes, it is impossible not to at least nod along to the groove, and the last minute or so of the track is likely to get you drumming on the nearest surface.

Though the album is categorized as metal on iTunes and other music platforms, there are many genres providing influence.

While metal fans will undoubtedly enjoy thrashing guitar tracks and frontman Stu Mackenzie’s gritty vocals, there are experimental elements at play that could certainly draw in fans of psychedelic rock, punk, surf rock and experimental music as a whole.

Each guitar track calls back to metal bands like Motörhead and Black Sabbath, with guitar credited to Mackenzie, Walker and Cook Craig in the album notes.

The metal mentality of this album shines through on tracks like “Organ Farmer” and “Perihelion,” that sound is contrasted by the slower pace of “Superbug.”

This lengthy track provides a rest in the middle of the album; there are frequent instrumental breaks, with an outstanding one coming in at 2:20.

“Superbug” is a perfectly timed change of pace from fast-paced vocals and driving instrumentals, readying the listener’s palette to dive right back into five more tight tracks.

It is followed up with “Venusian 1,” a heavy metal blitz with a quick enough pace and feeling to give any ‘70s punk track a run for its money.

“Perihelion” feels like a natural continuation from “Venusian 1.” Its intro might lead you to believe that the song is not going to impress, but it is saved by some interesting backing vocals that come in right in time to save the song and push things forward into the closing tracks.

“Infest the Rats’ Nest” serves as a tribute to the metal of yesteryear, but with crystal clear production and experimental influences from a range of genres.

The music refuses to pull at your emotions or sympathize with you at all, but that is not its purpose; it is an energetic, down-and-dirty collection ready for you to lock your door, pile on your darkest makeup or most studded clothing and rock out for a little over 34 minutes.

Filed Under: Arts, Music, Opinion Tagged With: album, king gizzard, music review, new album, opinion, review, rock, rock band, rock music

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