Review Summary: Possibly one of the greatest albums of all time. The 'classic' tag may seem like an overexaggeration--until you hear the music.
When The Reign of Kindo released their debut album in August of 2008, to minor critical acclaim, and almost everyone continuing to have no idea who they are. However, the few who did perk their ears up and search out a copy of
Rhythm, Chord & Melody discovered an absolute masterpiece. Beginning with a soft piano line, "The Moments In Between" slowly builds up to an explosive chorus, reaching huge emotional heights just two minutes into the album. And yes, every single song has one of these moments in them--from the absolutely beautiful saxophone solo in the title track, to the furious lyrics juxtaposed by gorgeous melodies in "Breathe Again," to the awe-inspiring start-stop instrumentals of "Great Blue Sea," everywhere you turn, this album throws something new and impressive at you.
The music itself is difficult to describe, a sort of combination of Minus The Bear-esque indie math rock, with evident fusion and jazz influences and an impeccable sense of timing and ebb-and-flow. The drums are a constantly moving, technical force, while the bass provides a wonderful background to the guitars and keys, which meld together, trading off melodies and rhythms, never content to simply play chords. The keys are straight out of a Monty Alexander or Chick Corea jazz piece, while the guitars emulate the softer math rock of Minus The Bear's early albums. The melodies are fast moving and complex, but never overbearing or difficult to keep track of, and all of the musicians show a level of virtuosity that would normally be cause for extreme pretension. Instead, every member of the band consistently knows his place, and never takes over, instead letting the music go where it's meant to, resisting the urge to show off while still impressing the listener greatly.
The vocals are a beast of their own, on par with all the brilliant instrumentals present on the album. Soft at times, Joseph Secchiaroli's voice is smooth and beautiful, and he displays remarkable capacity for emotion when the music swells and his voice absolutely soars over the backing instruments, taking center stage when needed and backing away to let the instruments take over when the moment is right.
Overall, The Reign of Kindo have managed to craft an absolutely breath-taking album, filled to the brim with beauty, emotion, originality, and talent. Their jazzy take on indie math rock continues to impress on every single track on their debut album, and is possibly some of the most universally enjoyable music ever created. Give it a try--I guarantee you won't be disappointed.
