 | Tracklist:
1. "Untreatable Disease"
2. "Crawl"
3. "Unstitch Your Mouth"
4. "Taking Back Control"
5. "Erase It Again"
6. "Atlas"
7. "The Most Vicious Crime"
8. "False Start"
9. "Weather the Storm"
10. "Red.Right.Return. (Straight in Our Hands)"
11. "Without a Sound"
12. "Translations"
Release Date: 2006 | |
| | other reviews | Tyler Fisher EMERITUS (3.5)
Sparta's third release is an album that improves songwriting and catchiness but they still fail to c... | Joe Costa (2)
Sparta's third full length falls flat on its face, sounding uninspired and boring and failing to cre... | Chris Baranowski (1.5)
On Threes, Sparta Trade Youthful Post-Hardcore For Embarrassingly Simplistic Radio Rock... |
On 6 Lists
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| Summary: Sparta create a good follow-up to "Porcelain" with "Threes", but fail to ever really catch on fire throughout; depressing, considering how good the album could have been, |
I should probably go on about the impact of At the Drive-In here. I mean, come on, except for Fugazi and Neurosis, are there any other post-hardcore bands that have as much a claim to being the true definition of the genre? Well, they broke up 5 or 6 years ago, so who really cares.
What matters is that Sparta is one of the two major bands to come about out of the demise of said At the Drive-In. In a sense, they were the more logical of the two splintered bands; Jim Ward, Paul Hinojos and Tony Hajjar continued on a more mellow path that strongly resembled softer At the Drive-In songs like “Napoleon Solo” and “Invalid Litter Dept.” In fact, Porcelain, their second offering, trumped their apparent counter-band The Mars Volta only offering at the time, De-Loused in the Comatorium. Sparta had certainly made a name for itself outside of its past, and even with the departure of guitarist Paul Hinojos, I couldn’t help but expect something special from Threes.
After listening to the album, though, I couldn’t help but want more. Sparta can certainly craft an excellent song; “Taking Back Control[“ is a powerful rock song with intense drumming from Tony Hajjar and a compassionate vocal performance from Jim Ward. Ward and Keeley Davis handle all the guitar work on the album well, as evidenced by the intertwining riffs found on this very track. While not as intricate as those found on “previous” works, its still a noted accomplishment.
Not to overuse the phrase, but in a sense Sparta certainly sounds like a conglomerated version of At the Drive-In, Sunny Day Real Estate, Fugazi and dredg. They retain a sense of anger and technicality of their former output, but mix it in with far more sentimentality and catchiness than most AtD-I tracks could offer. Songs often flow from soft, trancelike phases into balls to the wall guitar riff-age, most often with irresistibly catchy wails from Ward in the background. Most of them being sublime experiences, easily listenable despite the abrasive qualities they often possess.
This ends up being something of a downfall, however. Even when the songs get hot and heavy, they never really catch your ear. Sure, its all easily digestible, but its also rather unmemorable. There are some moments of bliss (the soft guitar interlude during “Weather the Storm” is beautifully done), and even occasionally the songs benefit from not being immediately hard hitting. However, when you’re attempting to listen to the album, it becomes tiring trying to find a moment to latch onto, to have “that moment” that you IM all your friends about.
So, the album is kind of boring. Big deal, right? It certainly has plenty of good going for it. It’s really quite a serene experience, and altogether quite well crafted. But…then theres nagging feeling. Everythings sort of the same. Albeit, if you’re going to have that happen with a record, 50 minutes is the ideal length. Sure, there’s a lot of the same, but its not that much, and it is spread out over 50 minutes anyways. Then again, you really wish they would do a little bit more with their influences. They seem to take the same Fugazi bits, the same dredg atmospheres, the same At the Drive-In guitar lines and use them over and over. While they use them all in a new, fresh way, it would still be nice to see them branch a bit further out with who they take ideas from.
Altogether, I like Threes. Is it a worthy follow-up to Porcelain? Heavens no. That album sounded inspired, and Threes seems to be a rather safe attempt in its wake. Does that mean its bad album? Oh hell no; there are some great tunes here, and no song in particular is bad, just boring and unneeded. Threes borders on the edge of greatness and is oh so close to hitting it, and maybe in time it will grow on me more. For now, it’s a good album with more than enough to like about it.
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Album Rating: 3
So uh eh here it is. I tried to go for an extremely to the point approach here, I hope you all enjoy it as much as Idid this album. AKA find it a nice read but not really worth much of a fuss.
Digging: Animal Collective - Spirit They've Gone, Spirit They've Vanished | | | Album Rating: 3
great work, I'm probably gonna pick this up sometime this week.
Hopefully this is will be better than Porcelain but it probably won't be as good as Wiretap ScarsThis Message Edited On 10.24.06
| | | Album Rating: 2
God this album sure is boring. Good review, but not your best.
| | | Album Rating: 3
Nice to see you waited until the actual day ;).
Nice one though, I liked your dredg comparisons, it never hit me but you're right.
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Pretty good review. You can tell you didn't spend as much time on it then the black parade, but don't get my wrong it was still imformative, well written ect. I may pick up some sparta some day.
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Wow. I'm really proud of sputnik right now. We managed to read a review for an album called Threes that was rated a three and note make a douchey joke out of it. You can't imagine how many bad Thrice jokes I've read.
In other news, I was a big fan of Wiretap Scars and heard Porcelain was weaker but then came out pretty impressed. Hearing underwhelming responses here is making me curious. Is this album just tepid or is fundamentally different?
Digging: Orphans of Cush - White Noize
| | | Album Rating: 3
To directly answer your question, moreso tepid.
The closest comparison I can make is "The Sufferer & The Witness" I guess. It's more of the same old, same old but just less interesting.
| | | Album Rating: 2
sparta always seemed to me to be proof taht cedric nad omar were the kings of ATD-I and were the real talented ones.
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[q=Iluvatar] mean, come on, except for Fugazi and Neurosis, are there any other post-hardcore bands that have as much a claim to being the true definition of the genre?[/q]
ever heard of refused? sure they had some metal elements, but the shape of punk to come is, i think, better that relationship of command, vaya, or any at the drive in album. it has redifined post hardcore.
i know you probably dont care, but w/e. excellent review.
ps. i think i didnt do the quote things right. help please?This Message Edited On 10.25.06
| | | Album Rating: 3
I've certainly heard of Refused. I still do think Fugazi, ATD-I, and Neurosis are more influential at this point, although they're right upthere.
And its (quote=Username)Insert Quote(/quote) when you wants to quote someone, except instead of parenthesis use brackets.
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thanks
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
'Porcelain' was awesome, but I hope 'Threes' lyrics are at least slightly less depressing though.This Message Edited On 10.26.06
| | | Album Rating: 3
They are far less depressing and in general not nearly as good. "Porcelain"'s awesomeness came from the mood and feel of that album imo.
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[quote=Iluvatar] mean, come on, except for Fugazi and Neurosis, are there any other post-hardcore bands that have as much a claim to being the true definition of the genre?[/quote]
Neurosis......yes......
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Pretty good album. It started out all sounding a bit similar, but a couple more listens put out the extra .5 for 3.5.
Although I liked most of the review, I didn't really care for the paragraph that just used comparisons to those other bands, since I've never listened to any of them, save a bit of At the Drive-In.This Message Edited On 10.30.06
Digging: Loma Prieta - Dark Mountain
| | | Album Rating: 3
I felt comparisons to other bands were necessary, and I'd assume most people who've heard Sparta would have listened to Fugazi, and ATDI at least.
This album hasn't really been much of a grower on me, though. Except for Taking Back Control, which is still awesome.
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ive got porcelain and just picked this up the other day and ive gotta say its a pretty weak album. nothing really sunk in for me besides the single
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
Good review.....
Sure Porcelain is a lot better..
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
Yeah, this is too bad. 'Threes' just isn't very good at all.
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I like some songs but it's too bad some songs arn't very good at all.
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