Compared to last week, I think
this week is going to be great. I'm working a sneak peak of Andy
Samberg's Hot Rod, I'm seeing Bishop Allen and Page France on Friday,
Gravy Train!!! and Sugar & Gold on Saturday, and I'm going to purchase a
Canon Digital Rebel XTi. It's almost too good to be true.
Coincidently, today's artist, Benzos, is also a bit unbelievable. I
mean, not only do they hail from a prog rock genre that doesn't get much
love here at SOTO, but their sophomore effort, Branches, has become
an unlikely favorite of mine. Now, I don't mean unlikely in a way that
says I don't like prog. I mean it in a way that says it's been a long
time since anyone of the genre has done anything good. So, in other
words, thank Benzos for ending the drought. Enjoy.
:Benzos
- Hurt Everybody:
You're going to love this because of two things: the beautifully complex
rhythm, and the dark wave/shoegaze-esque vocals. Personally, I haven't
been able to get over the former, as I find the band's seamless transitions
back and forth from being guitar, drum or synth-centric incredibly
interesting, especially since it causes their sound to come off as a living,
breathing creature. Most band's would kill to sound as organic as
Benzos does.
:Benzos
- Teach Me:
This reminds me so much of Dredg. The atmospheric vocals, the heavy
bass lines, the groove-enthused beat; all of it feels very heavily
influenced by El Cielo or Leitmotif. Still, I think
Benzos does well in making it their own when things quiet down around the
3:30 mark and then slowly build back up into a furious culmination of
instrumental showmanship that would make a band like 65daysofstatic or the
Timeout Drawer proud.
-
John Laird -
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