ChaosResolved
02-28-2006, 10:19 AM
Constants
The Murder of Tom Fitzgerril
Release Date: 2/06/2006
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/murder.jpg
Website:Constants (http://www.constantsound.com)
Label:Radar Recordings (http://www.radarrecordings.com)
Buy Here:Radar Recordings (http://www.radarrecordings.com/recordings.php)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/constants)
Tracklist:
1) Walking Dead in East Texas
2) Robotica and Lobotomy
3) The Murder of Tom Fitzgerill
4) When Stars Dilate
~~~~~~~~~~
Constants keep the momentum going for Boston as the city scores its second consecutive spotlight in Release of the Month. The avant-metal collective known as Kayo Dot grabbed the January Release of the Month (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7165), and now Constants manages to come out on top for February. It's unlikely that the city will continue to sweep 2006, but if the rest of the world continues to sleep, Boston is showing its music scene is more than capable of picking up some extra slack. Also, with new albums from Isis and Caspian (both boston natives) expected in 2006, all the city needs is another World Series victory to cap off the year. In any case, things have started tremendously well for the east coast in 2006.
The band's debut album, Nostalgia for the Future, saw a release through Radar Recordings in 2004. This album was full of artful meanderings with hints of space-rock thrown in for good measure. Not too many outlets picked up on this gem of a band, but those who took notice of the young band's presence could probably hear the distinct creativity that was the underlying force in its music. After much touring and a small tour EP, Constants headed back into the studio to record The Murder of Tom Fitzgerril EP, which sees the trio taking the next step into the world created by its artistic vision. The resulting music is a crazy amalgamation of the past five years of rock music, surveying everything from post-rock and space-rock to alternative and post-hardcore genres. Constants branches out into song compositions that reach out in excess of ten minutes, never aspiring for brevity, for the band has a lot to say and it takes its time setting the mood. Throughout the course of The Murder of Tom Fitzgerril the listener is never quite sure where Constants will lead him, for every twist and turn is unexpected and surprisingly magnificent.
In a world where the line between black and white has been blurred beyond any sort of recognition, Constants is here to embrace the gray area. All of it. Radar Recordings describes the band as "ambient post-rock...[exploring] dissonant melody, odd-metered syncopations and rise-and-crash dynamics." If I didn't know better, I would have claimed that I wrote that exact description, for it is probably the most precise comment that can be made of the band. While not a "post-rock" band, Constants uses enough quiet/loud composition to make a claim for one. Yet, at the same time, the band is spacey and ambient enough to be considered in the "space-rock" category with bands such as [b]Hundred Year Storm[/b] and [b]Theta[/b]. However, the entire tone of the music is very unbecoming of both of these genres and instead makes a call back to more the alternative leanings of bands such as [b]Redjetson[/b] or [b]The Appleseed Cast[/b]. And then ontop of it all, vocalist [b]Will Benoit[/b] offers up a pretty good resemblance of [b]Strata[/b]'s frontman, [b]Eric Victorino[/b]. Mix all these things together, divide it amongst three musicians, and throw in some guy named Tom Fitzgerril and you have Constants latest offering.
The EP kicks off with a simple guitar line and the smooth beating of [b]Duncan Rich[/b] on drums. Throughout the course of the album, [b]Rich[/b] strings together some very post-rockish drumming which retreats behind a cascade of symbols at all the right times. "Walking Dead in East Texas" steadily progresses and builds up a momentous release via pedal effects and fluttering guitars. The bass arcs over wavering rhythms and Constants waste no time exposing the brilliant vision behind the album. Melody and dissonance collide and you can't make head or tails of what comes out on top. A short segue later, and [b]Rich[/b] returns with the forceful pounding of the drums, driving the beats deeper and deeper into the subconscious. [b]Wainer[/b] and [b]Beniot[/b] pick up on guitar and lead the track to its cathartic release, bringing back the arcing bass lines and fluttering rhythms to the point of exhaustion.
Clocking in over nine minutes long, "Robotica and Lobotomy" is the strongest offering from Constants on the new EP. [b]Benoit[/b]'s vocals add to the musical space by receding into the background and limping alongside the unstoppable drive of the song. [b]Benoit[/b] adopts a very unorthadox vocal approach, not focusing on harmonies but instead the raw presence of his voice alongside the open musical landscape created by the band. The vocals are then mixed to the background and this overall approach gives his presence an eerie and exhaustive feel to the whole album. This is perhaps the only thing that ties the songs together, as the three musicians almost seem to play independently of each other, and come together only during times which resemble choruses, but really can't be labeled as such due to the variety with which they are presented. This spaced-out jam tests the limits of Constants, who show that they've got the skill, desire, and passion to forcibly infuse this post-rock composition with an alternative edge that threatens to break the fragile structure upon which it rests.
The title track finds the band in the middle of a long existential space jam, and what can Constants really do but up the ante by layering on more and more jams and pedal effects. You can't go home until you can feel the reverb in every inch of your body. [b]Contants[/b] reach a maximum level of spaciness on "The Murder of Tom Fitzgerril," and by mid track the mind has wandered so deeply into the hypnotic jam that it's easy to miss the steady descent back to earth. The lofty, mellow stylings of this song show the softest side of Constants, one that is beginning to reach full maturation and in subsequent efforts will spill out from the creative fountain of the band and encompass the entirity of its work.
"When Stars Dilate" is an appropriately named finale to a wondrous 40 minues of music, as it contracts the spacey atmosphere of the previous three tracks and condenses it into a steady, albeit a bit long, conclusion. Drums tumble over a rickety sonic landscape, washed over with ambient guitars and contrasted with pricks of feedback. Guitars flail relentlessly in the closing moments of the EP, piercing and puncturing the sonic structure that was so well crafted beforehand. The band exits in a different manner than they entered, and it's difficult to be displeased with the performance the band offers, as it covers a lot of ground and overlaps onto more than a few distinct genres.
Constants is one of the rare bands that is rediculously pleasing to fans of a multitude of genres. Such a crossover can ultimately only be a good thing, as bands that have done similar work have gone on to receive much praise, such as [b]Oceansize[/b] and [b]Rosetta[/b]. These are bands that are able to look beyond the limitations of their genres and look past the creativity of their influences and peers and tap deeply into the artistic vibe that rests in the core of every musician. What the future holds for this band is uncertain, but with a full spring tour planned, perhaps the wheels of fortune will begin to turn in this trio's favor. We at [b]DecoyMusic[/b] sincerely hope that they do.
~~[b]Jordan Volz[/b]
~~~~~~~~~~
[b][size=+1]Relative Links[/b][/size]:
Release of the Month (1/2006):Kayo Dot--Dowsing Anemone With Copper Tongue (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7165)
Release of the Month (12/2005):Yndi Halda--Enjoy Eternal Bliss (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6517)
Release of the Month (11/2005):Paulson--All At once (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5284)
Release of the Month (10/2005):Rosetta--The Galilean Satellites (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=4657)
Release of the Month (9/2005):Oceansize--Everyone Into Position (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3579)
The Murder of Tom Fitzgerril
Release Date: 2/06/2006
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/murder.jpg
Website:Constants (http://www.constantsound.com)
Label:Radar Recordings (http://www.radarrecordings.com)
Buy Here:Radar Recordings (http://www.radarrecordings.com/recordings.php)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/constants)
Tracklist:
1) Walking Dead in East Texas
2) Robotica and Lobotomy
3) The Murder of Tom Fitzgerill
4) When Stars Dilate
~~~~~~~~~~
Constants keep the momentum going for Boston as the city scores its second consecutive spotlight in Release of the Month. The avant-metal collective known as Kayo Dot grabbed the January Release of the Month (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7165), and now Constants manages to come out on top for February. It's unlikely that the city will continue to sweep 2006, but if the rest of the world continues to sleep, Boston is showing its music scene is more than capable of picking up some extra slack. Also, with new albums from Isis and Caspian (both boston natives) expected in 2006, all the city needs is another World Series victory to cap off the year. In any case, things have started tremendously well for the east coast in 2006.
The band's debut album, Nostalgia for the Future, saw a release through Radar Recordings in 2004. This album was full of artful meanderings with hints of space-rock thrown in for good measure. Not too many outlets picked up on this gem of a band, but those who took notice of the young band's presence could probably hear the distinct creativity that was the underlying force in its music. After much touring and a small tour EP, Constants headed back into the studio to record The Murder of Tom Fitzgerril EP, which sees the trio taking the next step into the world created by its artistic vision. The resulting music is a crazy amalgamation of the past five years of rock music, surveying everything from post-rock and space-rock to alternative and post-hardcore genres. Constants branches out into song compositions that reach out in excess of ten minutes, never aspiring for brevity, for the band has a lot to say and it takes its time setting the mood. Throughout the course of The Murder of Tom Fitzgerril the listener is never quite sure where Constants will lead him, for every twist and turn is unexpected and surprisingly magnificent.
In a world where the line between black and white has been blurred beyond any sort of recognition, Constants is here to embrace the gray area. All of it. Radar Recordings describes the band as "ambient post-rock...[exploring] dissonant melody, odd-metered syncopations and rise-and-crash dynamics." If I didn't know better, I would have claimed that I wrote that exact description, for it is probably the most precise comment that can be made of the band. While not a "post-rock" band, Constants uses enough quiet/loud composition to make a claim for one. Yet, at the same time, the band is spacey and ambient enough to be considered in the "space-rock" category with bands such as [b]Hundred Year Storm[/b] and [b]Theta[/b]. However, the entire tone of the music is very unbecoming of both of these genres and instead makes a call back to more the alternative leanings of bands such as [b]Redjetson[/b] or [b]The Appleseed Cast[/b]. And then ontop of it all, vocalist [b]Will Benoit[/b] offers up a pretty good resemblance of [b]Strata[/b]'s frontman, [b]Eric Victorino[/b]. Mix all these things together, divide it amongst three musicians, and throw in some guy named Tom Fitzgerril and you have Constants latest offering.
The EP kicks off with a simple guitar line and the smooth beating of [b]Duncan Rich[/b] on drums. Throughout the course of the album, [b]Rich[/b] strings together some very post-rockish drumming which retreats behind a cascade of symbols at all the right times. "Walking Dead in East Texas" steadily progresses and builds up a momentous release via pedal effects and fluttering guitars. The bass arcs over wavering rhythms and Constants waste no time exposing the brilliant vision behind the album. Melody and dissonance collide and you can't make head or tails of what comes out on top. A short segue later, and [b]Rich[/b] returns with the forceful pounding of the drums, driving the beats deeper and deeper into the subconscious. [b]Wainer[/b] and [b]Beniot[/b] pick up on guitar and lead the track to its cathartic release, bringing back the arcing bass lines and fluttering rhythms to the point of exhaustion.
Clocking in over nine minutes long, "Robotica and Lobotomy" is the strongest offering from Constants on the new EP. [b]Benoit[/b]'s vocals add to the musical space by receding into the background and limping alongside the unstoppable drive of the song. [b]Benoit[/b] adopts a very unorthadox vocal approach, not focusing on harmonies but instead the raw presence of his voice alongside the open musical landscape created by the band. The vocals are then mixed to the background and this overall approach gives his presence an eerie and exhaustive feel to the whole album. This is perhaps the only thing that ties the songs together, as the three musicians almost seem to play independently of each other, and come together only during times which resemble choruses, but really can't be labeled as such due to the variety with which they are presented. This spaced-out jam tests the limits of Constants, who show that they've got the skill, desire, and passion to forcibly infuse this post-rock composition with an alternative edge that threatens to break the fragile structure upon which it rests.
The title track finds the band in the middle of a long existential space jam, and what can Constants really do but up the ante by layering on more and more jams and pedal effects. You can't go home until you can feel the reverb in every inch of your body. [b]Contants[/b] reach a maximum level of spaciness on "The Murder of Tom Fitzgerril," and by mid track the mind has wandered so deeply into the hypnotic jam that it's easy to miss the steady descent back to earth. The lofty, mellow stylings of this song show the softest side of Constants, one that is beginning to reach full maturation and in subsequent efforts will spill out from the creative fountain of the band and encompass the entirity of its work.
"When Stars Dilate" is an appropriately named finale to a wondrous 40 minues of music, as it contracts the spacey atmosphere of the previous three tracks and condenses it into a steady, albeit a bit long, conclusion. Drums tumble over a rickety sonic landscape, washed over with ambient guitars and contrasted with pricks of feedback. Guitars flail relentlessly in the closing moments of the EP, piercing and puncturing the sonic structure that was so well crafted beforehand. The band exits in a different manner than they entered, and it's difficult to be displeased with the performance the band offers, as it covers a lot of ground and overlaps onto more than a few distinct genres.
Constants is one of the rare bands that is rediculously pleasing to fans of a multitude of genres. Such a crossover can ultimately only be a good thing, as bands that have done similar work have gone on to receive much praise, such as [b]Oceansize[/b] and [b]Rosetta[/b]. These are bands that are able to look beyond the limitations of their genres and look past the creativity of their influences and peers and tap deeply into the artistic vibe that rests in the core of every musician. What the future holds for this band is uncertain, but with a full spring tour planned, perhaps the wheels of fortune will begin to turn in this trio's favor. We at [b]DecoyMusic[/b] sincerely hope that they do.
~~[b]Jordan Volz[/b]
~~~~~~~~~~
[b][size=+1]Relative Links[/b][/size]:
Release of the Month (1/2006):Kayo Dot--Dowsing Anemone With Copper Tongue (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7165)
Release of the Month (12/2005):Yndi Halda--Enjoy Eternal Bliss (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6517)
Release of the Month (11/2005):Paulson--All At once (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5284)
Release of the Month (10/2005):Rosetta--The Galilean Satellites (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=4657)
Release of the Month (9/2005):Oceansize--Everyone Into Position (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3579)