Aereogramme - My Heart has a Wish That You Would Not Go
Rating
RIYL
ColdplayTool
Far
Dredg
Nick Drake
Tracklist
1. Conscious Life for Coma Boy2. Barriers
3. Exits
4. Life Worth Living
5. Finding a Light
6. Living Backwards
7. Trenches
8. Nightmares
9. Running Man
10. You're Always Welcome
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You can't avoid the hype machine. When it shuts down from October to February in preparation for the Grammys, a new version comes out that hypes up athletes, be it the upcoming NFL playoffs, the NBA All-Star Game, or off-season free agency in Major League Baseball. And let's not even start on the omnipresent Academy Award machine. When one takes a step back to try to discover the reason for all the hype over even the most moderate and average of accomplishments, it's easy to recognize that hype is often put in to replace character or depth or meaning. Hype is the cure for what ails the entertainment business. The ailment is a sore lack of anything with conviction or true staying power. This brings us to the UK's best-kept secret, Aereogramme, a band which truly deserves hype, but doesn't need it. The band stands on its own two feet and has done quite well for itself without all the lauding so many blasé bands get without any question from those who should know better, those who supposedly know music and recognize a great thing when they hear it.
Fortunately, there are listeners in this world who do still recognize great music when it is heard, be it a throwback band that seems never to have been made aware of the existence of the '80s or '90s or a band like Aereogramme, a band that has a terrific sense of dynamics, progressions, and the subtle intricacies that leave the listener wanting more. For years, Aereogramme has toiled at its craft, releasing two solid to fantastic albums full of their patented loud-soft dynamic and their completely ego-less pursuit of self-expression. Their latest release, My Heart Has a Wish That You Would Not Go, features still more of their yearning to find meaning in life and in themselves, although it often forgoes the desire for the loud-soft dynamic, mainly because mysterious leader Craig B. lost his voice for several weeks. This temporary setback was used to remarkable advantage, as the band did nothing but write music.
The end result is an often frantic, heavily manic, yet musically subdued effort that is astounding in its depth and focus. Where once were crunching guitars and pained roars are now chimes, strings, and bells. The band has grown soft and somehow become ten times more powerful than they ever were before. Craig's inability to speak what has been on his mind lets this album run over with his thoughts about life, self-consciousness, religion, love, and equality of all people. On every level, My Heart Has a Wish That You Would Not Go is a success. There is not a single misstep throughout the album, as they run the gamut from minimalist musicianship to a formidable wall of sound. From Tool to Isis to Clann Zu to Coldplay, no stone goes unturned.
If ever the hype machine could be used for good, this would be the album it championed to every end of the earth. As it goes so often, however, this album will be covered in obscurity, satisfying only those who stumble upon it by mistake. The band sums it up best, in the track "The Running Man," an easy candidate for best track on what could easily be the best album of 2007:
"I thought I was open, but I was closed
I thought I had answers to show the world
I thought that the good light would guide me home
But no."
Do not sleep on this album. Do not continue to overlook this band. They are the beacon of all that is right with music and the members do it for the love of the music and the love of the fans, for all the right reasons. This is music of the highest power, the greatest denomination and, in behind all its beautiful artwork, it begs to be heard.
--Ben Rice
Comments
Tucson, AZ
St. Louis, MO
BTW, is this the second five star you've thrown down?
~Tom
The Silent Ballet: The very best in instrumental and post-rock reviews and coverage.
Dallas, Texas
Boston, MA
You're an idiot
Stereo Typing
Please read my bullshit. I need attention.
Tucson, AZ
Sacramento, CA
it is indeed the second five-starrer for the notorious "nothing deserves a 5" guy. but it's my first actual "i honestly believe this is a 5-star album." in reverent fear was mostly to spite all the 5's people were giving horrendous albums. i figured, in that case, might as well give a 5 to something that's actually good.
but this one, this one's definitely a five.
as for whether or not the rest of their stuff is worth getting, i think it is. a story in white is clearly their weakest release, because it has long spans where i really become pretty disinterested, but sleep and release, seclusion, and that isis/aereogramme fishtank are all really great (well, most of that isis/aereogramme anyway). i really think aereogramme is one of the best things going these days.
I'm not here to make things better; only to observe and pass judgement.
Los Angeles
what's more surprising is that they actually reviewed it.
postrockpaperscissors
Sacramento, CA
I'm not here to make things better; only to observe and pass judgement.
Bedford, OH
rasta
Buckingham, PA
Colorado
Bayside,NY
Anytown USA
You play to win the game.
Lookin' out your backdoor
Tucson, AZ
Do they even remember why they started listening to music in the first place? I mean shit, that's absolutely ridiculous.
Oklahoma
Sacramento, CA
pitchfork is the only media group that man man likes.
I'm not here to make things better; only to observe and pass judgement.
Dallas, Texas
I haven't even been to pitchfork lately until babarm87 posted that 5.9, as I already hate their site. That had to be the worst assessment of an album ever.
blockbuster
no, they gave a 50 Cent album a 7.0. That is the worst assessment ever.
Colorado Springs, CO
Florida, USA
If track 4 on that IRF album didn't exist, the album would indeed be near-5 material.. That song is just a pile of shit in a sea of gorgeous sounds.
The greatness of the last track almost makes up for it.
Almost.
Florida, USA
Green Brook, NJ
Berlin, Germany
Anyway,... this cd is a 4 in my books ... I consider it as highly likeable. No question, 5.7 - or whatever the rating exactly was - is way too low of a score.
Mar