It´s been a boring week since school´s out until January, so I´ve had nothing interesting to do (and I probably never will, I don't lead the most exciting life ever, to be honest)
I was beginning to get bored of playing the same 5 albums over and over again, so I decided to not-so-randomly pick an album from the ones I used to listen to a lot but hadn't really listened to in a considerable amount of time, and I chose this one. I´ve listened to it 4 or 5 times since yesterday (like I said before, I used to listen to this one quite a lot, hell, I'll even go as far as saying it used to be one of my favorites back in the day, but for whatever reason, I stopped listening to it) because it actually is a very, very good album, and the only Stills album I´ve had the chance to listen to in its entirety.
Moving away from the personal stories and irrelevant facts and onto the part people actually give half a fuck about, this album stands out for three reasons mainly: The guitars, the drums/percussions and the lyrics, which, when combined, make a very solid and remarkable indie record. It's an LP with really, really powerful tunes. None of them sound the same (as contradictory as that may sound coming from a band that may have even come off as generic and unexciting in the past) even though all of them were composed by the same band. (no shit, Sherlock) Each song sounds quite different and interesting from the other, thus making for an entertaining and enjoyable listen. If you ever heard the lead single from it, Being Here, you'll more thank likely think that it's an album that lives off of that song's (unattained) glory, but it actually doesn't, and as amazing as this may sound, it's actually one of the weaker tracks compared to what the rest of the album has to offer. At a first glance...or...err...listen, it's just your average folk rock/indie rock album with the catchy tunes and rather melancholic backgrounds that just end up sounding unexciting at times...but it's actually more than that. It's a very complete listen, very well-arranged music, and even better written lyrics. You may have to be into music a lot to fully appreciate all the epic tunes Fletcher and friends have created, but even if you aren't, you'll immediately notice the seductive and nostalgia-evoking riffs, the non-generic-at-all and quite creative drum/percussion beats (which happen to be my favorite part of the record, more often than not leading me to just play along on my legs and just try to figure out the complex and fun drum patterns) and obviously, what always makes me classify music as good or dull: The lyrics. My oh my the lyrics in this record happen to be top-notch. It´s a pretty good album overall, although it sometimes does get repetitive after a while (even though none of the songs are...yeah, I know, that´s weird) but aside from that unimportant detail, it´s a really good option if you just want a good listen to spend your free time on.
Now, after just a very simple insight on what the album has to offer, lets actually go deeper into the best parts of it:
Percussionist Julien Blais: He´s the driving force of the band's music. The one that truly makes this a worthy, exciting and enjoyable listen. It is said that without a good drummer and a good bass player the band´s equilibrium goes to hell, fucking everything up no matter how good the guitar players or lead singer are, because you have no structure, you have no base. The only thing you have, is a tasty dish, but no plate to serve it on. (velcum, my son, to my twisted mind. Basic band composition lesson #1: Get yourself a good bass player and a good drummer, and you'll be good to go for the first 5 minutes of your weekend rockstar phase) But when you´ve got Julien and Oliver , there´s nothing to worry about. (Oliver's the bass player, by the way...should have probably pointed that out before, but meh, it's my blog, I point shit out when I feel like it, not when I'm meant to. And I should have definitely pointed that out at the very beginning of my blogger adventure, to make sure you'd hate me long before actually reading my lame reviews) The two musicians establish the base of The Still's music, but obviously, what we were focusing on here, was the fantastic drum work. Julien's technique and creativity are fantastic, he didn't take the easy road and just exploited the despicable hi-hat/snare/bass/snare/hi-hat/crash formula, he actually took the long road...and walked it. The complex and amazing patterns he chooses to play on the record are amazing just because they make good music sound great.
Now, second and third best parts will be on the same section, just to speed things up for you so you can go listen to the record now: The guitars and the lyrics. Like the drums/percussions, no matter how much of a music geek you are or how little knowledge of it you have, they immediately stand out and stay there without leaving you for a single second, kinda like an aura of melancholy that embraces you and tells you a haunting story with each new riff and note played. It is nothing too impressive, (even though Rooibos/Palm Wine Drinkard deserves a special mention for the memorable riffs) but it manages to do the work perfectly. It fulfills it's only goal in the record with such a fantastic elegance that you can't help but want more and more. The guitars in this record are the perfect companions to the lyrics, keyboards and drums. They are played just the way any guitar is meant to be played, with love and passion, after all, your guitar is like your girlfriend, if you don't have that burning desire to make the most of it, to love her, to treat her with passion and respect, then you should just quit because you lack the fundamental feelings to even have one. And finally, the beautiful, beautiful lyrics. It's already implied, considering I give a special mention to the lyrics on each of my reviews, that I myself am a lyricist, or poet, whichever one works just fine for me. For this record, as well as with for many of the ones I've reviewed, they are key to the incredibleness of it. Tim and co. have the remarkable ability to write lyrics that complement the haunting and beautiful music they compose, and even though there are actually some rather...dumb and shitty moments on the record, they remain as some of the best parts throughout most of it. They are very touching and melancholic, abstract and poetic, and, like in every great lyrical composition, are completely up to the listener to make a pertinent interpretation of them. Consider these following fragments as small treats from yours truly, so you can start to feel an even bigger need to listen to this album:
Beautiful. In my humble (and mostly biased opinion) Dinosaur´s lyrics are probably the best in the whole album, and it´s a relatively short song, which is a shame. Oh well, I guess we can live with that. Let´s move to the final parts of this review. Phew, that surely makes you think huh? Feeling excited about what's in store for you? Can't hold the excitement in any longer? Want to listen to it now? Well, I've got good news for you, we're almost done!
Now, after just a very simple insight on what the album has to offer, lets actually go deeper into the best parts of it:
Percussionist Julien Blais: He´s the driving force of the band's music. The one that truly makes this a worthy, exciting and enjoyable listen. It is said that without a good drummer and a good bass player the band´s equilibrium goes to hell, fucking everything up no matter how good the guitar players or lead singer are, because you have no structure, you have no base. The only thing you have, is a tasty dish, but no plate to serve it on. (velcum, my son, to my twisted mind. Basic band composition lesson #1: Get yourself a good bass player and a good drummer, and you'll be good to go for the first 5 minutes of your weekend rockstar phase) But when you´ve got Julien and Oliver , there´s nothing to worry about. (Oliver's the bass player, by the way...should have probably pointed that out before, but meh, it's my blog, I point shit out when I feel like it, not when I'm meant to. And I should have definitely pointed that out at the very beginning of my blogger adventure, to make sure you'd hate me long before actually reading my lame reviews) The two musicians establish the base of The Still's music, but obviously, what we were focusing on here, was the fantastic drum work. Julien's technique and creativity are fantastic, he didn't take the easy road and just exploited the despicable hi-hat/snare/bass/snare/hi-hat/crash formula, he actually took the long road...and walked it. The complex and amazing patterns he chooses to play on the record are amazing just because they make good music sound great.
Now, second and third best parts will be on the same section, just to speed things up for you so you can go listen to the record now: The guitars and the lyrics. Like the drums/percussions, no matter how much of a music geek you are or how little knowledge of it you have, they immediately stand out and stay there without leaving you for a single second, kinda like an aura of melancholy that embraces you and tells you a haunting story with each new riff and note played. It is nothing too impressive, (even though Rooibos/Palm Wine Drinkard deserves a special mention for the memorable riffs) but it manages to do the work perfectly. It fulfills it's only goal in the record with such a fantastic elegance that you can't help but want more and more. The guitars in this record are the perfect companions to the lyrics, keyboards and drums. They are played just the way any guitar is meant to be played, with love and passion, after all, your guitar is like your girlfriend, if you don't have that burning desire to make the most of it, to love her, to treat her with passion and respect, then you should just quit because you lack the fundamental feelings to even have one. And finally, the beautiful, beautiful lyrics. It's already implied, considering I give a special mention to the lyrics on each of my reviews, that I myself am a lyricist, or poet, whichever one works just fine for me. For this record, as well as with for many of the ones I've reviewed, they are key to the incredibleness of it. Tim and co. have the remarkable ability to write lyrics that complement the haunting and beautiful music they compose, and even though there are actually some rather...dumb and shitty moments on the record, they remain as some of the best parts throughout most of it. They are very touching and melancholic, abstract and poetic, and, like in every great lyrical composition, are completely up to the listener to make a pertinent interpretation of them. Consider these following fragments as small treats from yours truly, so you can start to feel an even bigger need to listen to this album:
Dinosaurs:
The roads wash in the shadows
Of a thousand manta rays
Volcanic waves
Our hopes are in vain
Snow In California:
I lost my way out
In a land of darkness
End of light
With no one left here to
Show me how I died
Hands On Fire:
It starts with a match
And the wind that blows
What you bury inside
What no one knows
I'll make my move
No eyes in sight
The slightest touch
The wrong choice
Makes it right
I saw the flames
Crawl up your spine
When the room got warm
I froze up inside
Best Tracks:
1-Don´t Talk Down
2-Snow In California
3-Everything I Build
4-Panic
5-Dinosaurs
6-Rooibos/Palm Wine Drinkard
7-Statue Of Sirens
Final Verdict: Not your average indie record, that´s for sure, which makes this a really good listen. The guitars, the precussion, the lyrics, the keyboards, the music overall is beautiful, all the songs set different moods, some have a lot of energy while some are soothing and pacifying tunes that bring the mystical power of relaxation to the listener. Despite the obvious musical differences that each song may have, a curious fact about all of them is that they all have the same melancholic and even slightly saddening vibe to them in some extent. In some tracks, it's barely noticeable, but still there, while in others, it's a little too overwhelming.
Recommended? Hell yes. Why? well, these Canadians created a beautiful, pacifying and soothing indie recording...and we love beavers...
Rating: 8.8/10
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