Have you been hypnotized previously by any of these artists?
Written: Oct 29 '04 (Updated May 01 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Unique, Dark, and unknown
Cons: At times this album goes too far out to sea
The Bottom Line: Give it a try if you can find it... if you can find it.
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| hstisgod's Full Review: Crumble - The Book of Knots Movies |
......by any of these artists:
PJ Harvey
Type-O-Negative
Radiohead
Danzig
Also available from The Book Of Knots;
Traineater,
If so...read on....
When you think of times ruled by the success of ships , and of the mariners who ran them, what kind of soundtrack would you create for such an era? The Book of Knots project has decided to answer this peculiar question with authority. Having recruited an all star cast of talented, but virtually unknown amongst the pop culture purchasing public, Archlight Records (based in Austin,TX), has released a project entitled “Crumble” (06.04). Not surprisingly, the release of this album has fallen below the radar due to its independent roots.
Perhaps also due to the fact its dark intimidating sound is arguably one of the most imaginative projects of its kind, Crumble is the culmination of vast genre that includes Industrial Goth, Heavy Metal,, and Eclectic Rock to name a few. While its the concept that adopts itself to the music, the music just would not be as dark without the accompanying stories of rough oceans, and scruffy mariners.
“We started out with one song about what it’s like to grow up in a rotting sea town in Massachusetts--staring at the ocean when you’re seven-years -old, cutting bait on a dock for your first summer job and smelling the chum....
Then, and I know it’s astonishingly clichéd to say, it took on a life of its own and became what we called this ‘begrudgingly epic’ concept album”, says one of the core members Joel Hamilton
Many times during this CD, the simple combination of deep drum patterns, and randomly insane guitar peaks journey as if they were floating in the most unfounded of oceans. This album is not for the close minded however. Collectively, the four core members play 42 different instruments so you will certainly need heaps of patience as you allow your mind to give over to the integrity of the musicianship. Hamilton, goes on to explain this common bond in musicianship. “ Sometimes we’re intentionally trying to create the sense of confusion of being in a storm or fog, but mostly we were trying to sound like mutants wearing prom dresses or a hobo with all these missing teeth holding up a flower.”
Not so much the music. but the approach is very similar to rock music legends Pink Floyd., The Book of Knots are numerous individuals banding together under one storyline. Not stories of “The Wall”, but a collection of artists telling their storied versions of the sea in the progression and synchronization of rhythm. However this is where the comparisons to Pink Floyd and everyone else end. “We were trying to find the element of beauty in the midst of all this disgusting decay so that people would really root for this broken-down old town that smells like rotting docks and dead fish, rather than coming off like a bunch of musicians saying, ’now let’s play some weird chords”.
Furthermore, while lyrical content is dunked in stories, it seems to take a back seat. Simply adding another aspect of creative energy to the overall atmosphere, instead of taking the spotlight. In the past, projects of this magnitude relied heavily on the technical aspect and its buyers market. Don’t expect to be taken aback with mind numbing guitar virtuoso’s or complicated violinists.
This project seems to be more of an enjoyment in musical collaborations. Recorded jam sessions of your friends’ friends glued together by hypothetical, and factual stories of the cold fisherman’s seas. If you do happen upon this disc, don’t skip through. Just press play, and at all costs let it flow. The most beautiful result may be the tremendous tendencies these artists have to change gears at any time.
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Joel Hamilton quotes were pulled from the press kit bio. Seems Arclight did not have time for me. Album credits and all that good stuff can be found at the following link…. Check out the masking tape… now that’s what I call Indie! www.arclightrecords.com
The Book of Knots are:
Joel Hamilton
Tony Maimone
Matthias Bossi
Carla Kihlstedt
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
hstisgod
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