| And So I Watch You From Afar And So I Watch You From Afar |
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 | Tracklist:
1. Set Guitars To Kill
2. A Little Bit Of Solidarity Goes A Long Way
3. Clench Fists, Grit Teeth... GO!
4. I Capture Castles
5. Start A Band
6. Tip Of The Hat, Punch In The Face
7. If It Ain't Broke, Break It
8. TheseRIOTSareJUSTtheBEGINNING
9. Don't Waste Time Doing Things You Hate
10. The Voiceless
11. Eat The City, Eat It Whole
| Ranking: #60 for 2009 | |
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On 26 Lists
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| Summary: The Belfast-based band’s mix the ferocity of DC hardcore with the carefree abandon of arena rock. |
That Derry’s finest instrumental rock troupe And So I Watch You From Afar are oh-so-frequently lumped in with the post-rock brigade is not so much unfortunate as it is downright wrong, but it does say something about the genre. In the eyes of all but the seasoned observer, a band doesn’t have to do anything, or sound a particularly way, to be labelled “post-rock”: just not having a vocalist is enough. Now, nothing irks a band more than being pigeon-holed, but it must hurt doubly to be holed in the wrong coop entirely. And with all due respect to post-rock, And So I Watch You From Afar’s music is so far removed from the post-crescendo genre that it warrants screaming from the roof-tops- in fact, that wouldn’t be such a bad idea. The Belfast-based band’s raucous sound is a pithy amalgamation of the ferocity and intensity of DC hardcore and the carefree abandon of arena rock. To point out the obvious contradiction would be to miss the point entirely.
Given the obvious lack of lyrics (apart from an “oi!” here and they odd “hey!” there), the song titles have to be a little more descriptive than they typically are. Opener ‘Set Guitars To Kill’ is a perfect example, kicking the album off with a crunching power chord riff and pulsating reverb-soaked drums that give way to increasingly more chaotic and dissonant exchanges. Likewise, the impeccably-titled ‘TheseRIOTSareJUSTtheBEGINNING’ is frenetically-paced and relentlessly aggressive, while ‘Don’t Waste Time Doing Things You Hate’ sees the band indulge their zanier pleasures: from signature shred-guitar moves rarely heard outside a guitarist’s bedroom to sexy Meters-like funk rhythms and a beer-soaked ‘Hey Jude’-style gang sing-a-long for the last couple of minutes. In truth, there is the odd moment within a song of overt post-rockishness: single ‘A Little Bit Of Solidarity Goes A Long Way’ works the silence-crescendo model to a T. But the overall effect is more comparable to compatriots and frequent touring partners Adebisi Shank, as they’re more likely to lock into a dynamic groove and play off that energy than to tease listeners with the quiet-loud formula.
Not only is And So I Watch You From Afar well-balanced between the band members, it’s also a quality effort from start to finish. It’s always tempting to load the best tracks to the front- and, to be fair, the opening three songs are the most immediate on the album- but the album ends just as strongly as it starts. ‘The Voiceless,’ one of two tracks to re-appear from the group’s debut EP, another track that hints at erupting into an Explosions In The Sky-like cacophonous crescendo, but instead holds off without really sacrificing anything in the way of grandeur. Following that, and finishing the album on a high, is ‘Eat The City, Eat It Whole’ (Pedants’ Corner: that should be a semi-colon). It’s stylistically different from anything else on the album, beginning with some country and blues-tinged motifs before patiently easing into a familiar mathy groove, the type that litters the album and makes it such a wonderful, coherent listen from start to finish.
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| Recent reviews by this author | | | |
Album Rating: 4.5
Review is way too ass-kissing and makes it seem like I hate post-rock more than I do, but it's necessary because this album roxxx
Digging: Natasha Bedingfield - Pocketful of Sunshine | | |
I'm from Belfast.
Bragable indeed.
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saw these guys with Maybeshewill and was far too occupied talking to the latter while ASIWYFA were playing; kind of regret it now because I enjoy this record massively.
Digging: The National - Alligator
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whoa, major formatting issues. i am interested in this album.
Digging: Earth - Earth 2
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The Belfast-based band’s raucous sound is a pithy amalgamation of the ferocity and intensity of DC hardcore and the carefree abandon of arena rock.
oh
Digging: Smog - A River Ain't Too Much Too Love
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thinking about checking this out, but harrison likes it, so that is a sign that it sucks D:
Digging: Do Make Say Think - Other Truths
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this is pretty good stuff here man, honestly checked it out because of their name lol. But it's pretty good stuff.
Digging: The Receiving End of Sirens - The Earth Sings Mi Fa Mi
| | | Album Rating: 4
great album
Digging: Junius - The Martyrdom of a Catastrophist | | | Album Rating: 4
I found this band through RockSound and downloaded the album. It's pretty good but i need to listen to it more before i rate. A Little Bit Of Solidarity Goes A Long Way rules though.
Digging: Converge - Axe To Fall | | |
Sounds dead sexy.
Digging: Saves the Day - Stay What You Are
| | | Album Rating: 4
Amazing album, I never really got why they were grouped with post-rock either, since they are the complete opposite of what post-rock is all about.
Digging: Boredoms - Vision Creation Newsun | | |
They do have the name of what i would imagine would be a post-rock band. And So I Watch You From Afar screams post-rock. I may check this out later.
Digging: Drudkh - Microcosmos
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Good review, will check out.
Digging: Vordr - I
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Yeah, that's what I meant. I was trying to shorten it so it would fit on the first page and put the with in the wrong place. And it's still miles too long.
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I don't care for your music tastes too much, that being said, I'm definitely not going to listen to this.
Digging: Death Cab For Cutie - Plans
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Like the band name though.
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...? Splat has "immense" taste, to put it precariously cornily.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
[quote=iarescientists]thinking about checking this out, but harrison likes it, so that is a sign that it sucks D:[/quote]
stfu faggot
on a side related know im glade someone fellates this album as much as i do
Digging: Converge - Petitioning The Empty Sky | | | Album Rating: 4.5
did i say i like the review alot because i do
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i really need to give this record another shot. great review.
Digging: Struck By Lightning - Serpents
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