Circa Survive - "Juturna" (2005)

I remember hearing Circa Survive for the first time while cooking and was drawn in by such an airy sound and interesting singer. Well, needless to say, later on that same year, after relearning their name, I popped into a local records store and got their debut album, “Juturna.” Now Juturna is one of those rare occurrences in music. The music flows like a river of sound and makes you want to swim, though you kind of get tired of swimming at some point. It may be better if I explain.

The album itself is great. Anthony Greens’ lyrics are above par, dealing manly with subjects and ideals from the movie, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (along with a few others movies & books), while his haunting voice harmonies perfectly with the band. The band itself is well rehearsed and trained; bringing a ghostly quailed to each and every song. Some of the stand out tracks would have to be, “In Fear and Faith,” “We're All Thieves” and “The Great Golden Baby.”

Some of problems I had with the album, however, were while I do enjoy experimental kinds of music, it get tiresome at times. Such as “Wish Resign” where it just goes a little too long for my taste. I would have also liked to have heard more of the band in each song instead of, and this is kind of it feels like, focusing more on Green’s vocal capabilities. Yes, I know he has a great voice, but I want to also hear the band.

So while I do enjoy this record, I don’t enjoy every song on here. Nonetheless, I find the album very unique and its’ staying power strong. I’m giving this “four out of five stars.” I suggest this to your friends who are looking for something new musically and who like Pink Floyd. Cheers.

Circa Survive - "House of Leaves"

I happened upon this the other day and thought since the review will be coming out tomorrow, I'll give you a little taste of Circa Survive. Enjoy, cheers.


The same song, reversed....

Muse - "Shrinking Universe"

I'm bored...So Entertainment :)

The Dear Hunter – “Act I: The Lake South The River North” (EP, 2006)

After leaving “The Receiving End of Sirens” Casey Crescenzo worked full time on his then side project, “The Dear Hunter.” What came out of the ashes was “Act I,” a work of pure genius. Throughout this 8 song epic shines not only a world class lyricist and storyteller, but a stunning producer.

The sound is simply amazing. Everything is crisp and clear, you understand Crescenzo and his instruments. The opening track, “Battesimo Del Fuoco” is pure orgasm and one of the greatest openings for an album I’ve ever had the pleasure of hearing. If you could close your eyes and let your imagination take over, you would be transported back in time and live this tale told throughout the album. Act I (the first part of a six-act story) tells about the conception and birth of the main character – known only as The Dear Hunter or "The Boy" – to a prostitute named Ms. Terri. Along with the story, Crescenzo’s voice also makes this album great. His voice is so unique that it stands out and you can’t help but sing along with him, even when you can’t hit the notes.

Look, I am not kidding when I tell you this album is perfect. I can’t find one thing wrong with it. Nothing.

When I look at it, I really can’t help but think about The Mars Volta when I listen to this. Don’t get me wrong I’m not comparing their styles, but where they came from. What I mean is both The Dear Hunter and The Mars Volta came from a former band well known for a center musical style and sound, but after leaving and going on their own, brought something new altogether to table. Though, it didn’t go to Crescenzo’s head, like it did for The Mars Volta.

This album gets a “5 out of 5 Stars” rating from me. Do yourself a favor, pick up this album. Don’t download it, go out and buy it. This is a must own for your collection.

Fleet Foxes - "Blue Ridge Mountains"

Artists You Should Give A Listen To:

Forgive Durden - "Razia's Shadow: A Musical" (2008)

After Thomas Dutton was left as the only member of “Forgive Durden”, he has a lot of free time on his hands. Instead of calling it quits, he sat down with his brother and penned “Razia’s Shadow.” This two years effort didn’t just bring an interesting story behind it, it also brought guess artist from different bands throughout the “scene” (if you want to call it that…) and shaped a wonderfully unique experience. From artists like Max Bemis (Say Anything) all the way to Casey “Fucking” Crescenzo (The Dear Hunter), this album has it all.

The sound of the album, just as the name of it implies, is that of a skillfully executed musical. Although, I’m not too familiar with the normal styles of a musical, the whole album is beautifully done. Even for a band with a very limited budget, Dutton managed to pull it off with little to no flaw. A musical, however, needs more than just good music, it needs great voices, and as you would have guessed, this album has many to share. With a total of 14 artist, including Dutton, all the characters have a great voice that brings them to life with a beautiful harmony that brings a chill to your spine. The lyrics themselves are written wonderfully, telling the story flawlessly and painting the scenery with all the colors in between black and white.

The story, in case you wanted to know, has two movements. The first movement deals with Ahrima, an angel who feels like he’s not getting the respect he deserves. So, in a moment of rage, he destroys the world he helped create and is forced to live in “Darkness” of the aftermath, as the rest, including his love Nidria, live in “Light.” The second movement takes place about a century later when Adakias, who feels something bigger in him then what is known, leaves his home in the Dark and travels to the city of Light. There he falls in love with Princess Anhura. She, however, falls sick and they travel to find a cure for her. Where and how will they find a cure? All your questions can be answered throughout each song.

I, however, do have a few small problems with the album itself, the first would have to be the lyrics, which at times are a little cheesy and as well confusing. They are clever, but even with the “script” handy they’re still confusing, as well with a few plot holes. Likewise can be said of some of the choices in singers and their characters, it’s confusing. A good example would have to be Chris Conley (Saves the Day) and his character, “Toba the Tura.” While Toba is a big, bad dude, Conley’s high pitch voice doesn’t fit. I would also have liked to hear some of the other singers in more than one song. Crescenzo’s character is the god like figure in the story, but he only appears in only one song. How can you have a voice like that only once?

Even through the little flaws, this is an amazing album and has not left my mp3 player from the first day I got it. You’ll be sure to find a song on here that will catch your ear and draw you in. Whether it is the main songs or the soothing narrations of Aaron Weiss (mewithoutYou), there’s something in here for everyone. I’m proud to give this a full “5 out of 5 stars” rating. Download it, buy it, just listen this album.