![]() ![]() Numbers are stately and immutable in their absolute precision, they limn what is, for all intents and purposes, a personal judgment (one heavily influenced, in this case, by my own relationship with cheese, which is not what one would call "close") as an objective, universal one. See that rating up there? Numerical ratings are troublesome. ![]() But it is important within the context of this review, because your relative lactose tolerance is going to drastically influence your response to this record. Cheese, by its very nature, is frivolous. Cheese is grandiose, and not afraid to be maudlin- there is no obfuscation with cheese, no artful hedging of bets: Cheese is heart-sleeved and money-mouthed, and it dares you to insult it for being what it proudly proclaims itself to be. It storms in through the front door in a sequined tuxedo with lace cuffs, recites a ribald limerick and spikes the punch with peppermint schnapps. It does not slip in, fashionably late, through the side entrance. For another: Cheese is ostentatious, the dubious life of the party. For one: Cheese is earnest, although not everything that's earnest is cheesy. Like postmodernism, grace, or pornography, we know cheese when we see it, and can list its qualities all day without attaining its complete essence. I now ask: What's cheese? Cheese is difficult to pin down. Moody shifts, doo-wop-infused anthems, and total clarity and cohesion marked this session as one of the best of 2008.Biggie once asked: "What's beef?" (and unfortunately, he found out). It sent chills down my spine to hear that kind of passion on the radio. Almost a "Man, this is fun!" kind of look. ![]() While sitting in on the session, I was able to catch all the subtle moments, like the two of them exchanging a few smiles during the performance. You can hear that focus and cohesiveness in the recording, but watching The Helio Sequence live, you could really see these two as tight, talented musicians. The two best friends had been working on the album for some time, and overcame serious issues (like Brandon Summers' damaged vocal cords and the temptation for Benjamin Weikel to shift over to the Modest Mouse camp). Luckily, the session was exactly what I'd hoped for and more. ![]() The anticipation was heightened even more by the fact that the record was being released the day the duo was in our studio. Every day, I would play Keep Your Eyes Ahead and tell anyone and everyone that it was the best thing to come out so far in 2008. But listening to The Helio Sequence's new record, Keep Your Eyes Ahead, you have to wonder how the duo will pull it off live - let alone in a small space, early in the morning, with this kind of setup.īefore the performance, I had been counting the hours until the band was to play. A full band also seems like a no-brainer. It's different when there's one musician with a guitar - that seems easy to pull off. Seeing such a bare-bones set-up, it's easy to get a little nervous about what that's going to mean for a studio session. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |