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Octaves - Greener Pastures

Rating

RIYL

La Dispute
The Bled
The Chariot
Renae

Release Date

05/04/2010

Label

Hotfoot Records

Tracklist

1. Fix the Fern Back
2. Be Angry at the Sun for Setting on a Set of Sons
3. I've Got Boxes Full of Pepe!
4. Anaconda Squeeze
5. I Am He Who is Called I AM
6. I'm Just Going Down to the Corner to Get Cigarettes (I'll Be Back in a Minute)
7. Schmohawk
8. Absent Kids Count

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Recent Ratings
Firebrandead	benny06

Greener Pastures marks the first release from Octaves, a relatively new band to the scene who formed last year and then signed to Hotfoot Records in 2010. Hotfoot Records is a young entity itself but has a knack for finding bands with potential and Octaves helps to continue that trend.

The band takes ideas from various different groups and then blends them together to form a somewhat original sound by using the chaotic nature of The Chariot, the poetic yelling of La Dispute or older Mewithoutyou, mixed with the ferocity of The Bled. Now, to many people this mash up of bands probably sounds pretty enticing and for good reason; however, it feels as if Octaves is missing something at this stage in their career and most likely just need more time to mature and really find their own sound.

“Fix the Fern Back” does a decent job of opening Greener Pastures, but it is one of the weaker songs on the album because it’s one dimensional; Octaves is at their best when they combine all of their influences into one song, like on the second track; this is where the album really starts to get going. The tune opens with an eerie guitar intro, which then transitions into an upbeat verse that helps piece the song together for the first half of it. The latter half becomes more chaotic with some creative breakdowns and a rhythmic buildup towards the end, layered with gut-wrenching screams. The better songs on Greener Pastures follow a similar path, like “I Am He Who is Called I AM” and “Absent Kids Count,” both of which showcase a different element of the band to help keep the album diverse.

The other songs on Greener Pastures are comparable to the opener: noteworthy attempts but ultimately lackluster. The more prominent issue with this album, however, is that even though it’s marketed and priced as a full length, it really isn’t a full length. There are eight songs, two of which are less than a minute long, one of those being an instrumental. So that leaves you with six actual songs, clocking in at around 20 minutes, for a $10 price tag. It’s not always relevant to harp on this kind of information, but it is necessary in this case for those considering the purchase.

Greener Pastures is a solid debut from a young prospect, but Octaves still need time to develop their style and songwriting skills. If you’re a fan of any of the bands mentioned in this review, definitely give this release a try, just don’t expect anything groundbreaking.

--Nicholas Fritz