Tangents - One Little Light Year
Rating
RIYL
As Tall As LionsRadiohead
Muse
Release Date
10/25/2010
Label
Angel Side SideTracklist
1. Arrow in the Heart2. Homecoming (Victory Song)
3. Fall Asleep Again
4. Static
5. (Missing) One Little Light Year
6. The Pieces Fall
7. Nothing Left Undone
8. When Will It End?
9. Hyde
10. What the Scanners See
11. Blind Spots
12. Watch You Go
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One Little Light Year, the debut album from New England’s Tangents finds strength in familiarity. While the band may be new, the unlikely pairing of Dave Witham (Of The Hour) and Derek Kerswill (ex-Unearth/Seemless) relies heavily on a time when alternative rock could be artistic and filled with pop melodies without being contrived or soft… the 90s. While many people will be drawn to the band based on Kerswill’s presence in the line-up, Tangents' sound seems to stray closer to Witham’s previous output. Forgoing any hints of metal, or much aggression at all really, Tangents opt for a steady arsenal of progressive alt-pop steeped in enormous hooks you would swear you’ve been listening to for years. Primarily recorded with the duo in separate locations, the songs were forged together with massive sonic clarity for a bright and booming sound that will appeal to fans of early Radiohead, Muse, and As Tall As Lions. There is a lot of musical ground covered between Kerswill and Witham’s extended resumes, allowing the band to diversify their techniques while still remaining grounded to the aura of the Tangents sound.
“Arrow In The Heart” seeps with woozy atmospheric guitar work that reveals the band’s penchant for shimmering space rock distortion and big infectious hooks. The vocals rest on top of the dense layers, bending and weaving amongst complex arrangements with soaring melodic control. Tracks like “Homecoming” and “Nothing Left Undone” take an ethereal dream-pop drift far into the clouds with slow churning vocals and a heavenly twinkle of keyboards and guitar progressions. “Fall Asleep Again,” the song that initially hooked me to Tangents’ music, remains my favorite of the record with its deep rhythmic waltz between both Kerswill’s drumming and the eerie carnival keyboards. Large sweeping chords add for an elegant atmosphere that warps and trickles with subtle experimentation until its epic culmination and subsequent conclusion. “Static” finds Witham’s croon in commanding form, as he wails with the passion of Jeff Buckley over reverb heavy acoustics and a blanket of spaced out effects. “(Missing) One Little Light Year” is another radio friendly stab at intelligent pop music that gradually spikes into unexpected but welcome territory.
“The Pieces Fall” slides around on echo soaked guitar licks and a steady rhythm as Witham’s vocals once again take complete control until falling back slightly during the chorus. “When Will It End” pushes forward with a clean and steady beat from Kerswill, providing the backbone to a rising melody ready for blast off. The deep space vacuum of guitars will sound familiar to fans of Muse while the vocals that float high above reminiscent of Ours’ Jimmy Gnecco. “Hyde” has an overarching Beatles influence in the melody, while the atmospheric clouds part with acoustic texture to ultimately bring to mind The Bends era Radiohead. Crashing cymbal crescendos wash over the anthemic orchestral climb for one of the biggest and best moments of the album. The layered sound of guitars, strings, and keys is massive and Kerswill’s drums are equally impressive, deep, and vibrant. “Blind Spots” staccato rhythms and pulsating guitars build and release like a frantic tide, a song that storms one minute and eases into a serene and peaceful state the next.
With the news of Kerswill officially leaving Unearth, I can only hope Tangents will have the opportunity to tour and share their music live, as many of these tracks would be incredible in concert. It’s clear that the band enjoyed creating One Little Light Year, as the album is painstakingly loaded with layers and nuances to uncover over time. The musical accomplishment and song writing prowess is firmly portrayed throughout the entire record, but the crystal clean production leaves me to wonder what they might sound like a bit more raw, pulling the vocals further into the mix rather than directly on top. While the production is clearly aimed towards reaching a mainstream audience, the general progressive nature and sonic complexity may hold the band back from breaking into the world of alternative radio, but it’s just that epic experimentation that truly makes the record rewarding.
--Dan Goldin
Comments
Minnesota
I was interested to hear this because of the involvement of a member of Unearth. I went into it not knowing anything else, so it was quite a surprise to hear that the band wasn't metalcore in the least. Despite the lack of breakdowns, I really enjoyed this album the first time through :-) After another listen, it wasn't quite as appealing, but it was still good. Since it doesn't seem to have a ton of staying power, I think I agree with you on the 3/5 rating.
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