talk show host
01-05-2004, 12:50 PM
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Dredg
El Cielo
Release Date: 2002
Gavin Hayes: Vocals/Guitar
Mark Engles: Guitar
Drew Roulette: Bass
Dino Campanella: Drums
Track Listing:
1. Brushstroke: Debtfoabaaposba 0:57
2. Same Ol’ Road 5:15
3. Sanzen 4:34
4. Brushstroke: New Heart Shadow 1:33
5. Triangle: 5:04
6. Sorry But It’s Over 4:09
7. Convalescent 3:32
8. Brushstroke: Walk In The Park 1:41
9. Eighteen People Living In Harmony 4:28
10. Scissor Lock 3:23
11. Brushstroke: (Reprise) 1:33
12. Of The Room 3:44
13. Brushstroke: An Elephant In The Delta Waves 1:47
14. It Only Took A Day 3:16
15. Whoa Is Me 5:36
16. The Canyon Behind Her 6:40
Possibly my favourite album of all time, Dredg’s second official studio release exceeded many people’s expectations. After the cult success of their debut, Leitmotif, many were surprised by the route the band had taken. Gone were the 5-minute instrumentals and rough, raw vocals that were all but hidden in a wall of guitars. With El Cielo, the vocals are at the forefront, with Hayes’ voice indicating a far more confident and melodic stance. Consisting of 11 ‘songs’ and 5 interludes, or ‘brushstrokes’, Dredg have created a masterpiece. Running on a concept of sleep paralysis (so I hear) the songs share a common theme and flow nicely and easily from one to another. Instrumentation is at its peak, in particular, Dino’s drumbeats on this album are hugely creative and thought out (something which appears to be lacking in many bands), and guitar and bass are put to effective use. Good use is made of effects and samples, particularly with the brushstroke interludes and a cool vocal sample at the end of Whoa Is Me.
Despite its somewhat subdued lyrics, the music itself is incredibly powerful and uplifting and the cd is worth the price for the last two tracks alone.
1. Brushstroke: Debtfoabaaposba 0:57 – The sound of a paintbrush on canvas with some weird effects and faint vocal wail in the background. Serves as a good intro to the album but not a song. 2/10
2. Same Ol’ Road – A simple bass line opens the track and continues throughout. For the verse, Gavin’s vocals are supported only by the bass and the guitar comes in for the pre-chorus and chorus where Gavin’s voice singing “we must push on” sails over the top. There’s a nice use of phasing on the drums with some female vocal harmonies in the background. 8/10
3. Sanzen – Starts with the fading in of guitars with a great chord progression. Vocals are on top form here. The vocals in the chorus resemble those in Same Ol’ Road, with a slight echo. Then comes the first of many time changes, which indicate a big climax, but then everything stops and the real climax comes shortly afterwards. An unpredictable but very impressive track. 8/10.
4. Brushstroke: New Heart Shadow – The first proper interlude. A nice instrumental with various guitar lines. Very peaceful. 6/10
5. Triangle – Starts with something that sounds like an organ, and drums fading in, followed by some high tremolo-picking guitar, reminiscent of Johnny Greenwood. Another unpredictable track, it suddenly changes to Gavin singing a falsetto melody. The song then changes dramatically, to what could be a different song altogether. The lyrics are a bit iffy in this section: “and babies are born, in the same building where people go to pass away.” Very profound. The song then changes direction again, with a tentative link to their previous outing, Leitmotif. Finally it veers back into the falsetto melody. 7/10.
6. Sorry But It’s Over – My least favourite track on the album. It’s a standard song, with a chord progression that reminds me of that P. Daddy track he did for Godzilla. Not a bad track by any means, it just pales in comparison to the rest of the album. 5/10
7. Convalescent – This song is very upbeat with a very jerky and pounding guitar progression. The chorus is where the song excels though and I love the lyrics. Enter the first appearance of the surf-guitar tone, a nice touch. 7/10
8. Brushstroke: Walk In The Park – The second interlude of the album is a beautiful piano piece. Accompanied by strings, this is definitely one of the high points of the album. At times, melancholic but always with a sense of peace. 9/10
9. Eighteen People Living In Harmony – Another of my favourites. Gavin’s voice is put through some kind of filter a la The Strokes. This disappears when the guitar comes in. The strings in the background of this strong carry it through. The glory point is the key change at around 1.50. A true musical orgasm moment, with multiple tracks of Gavin’s voice harmonising with each other. The build-up is phenomenal but then, again it dies out leaving only the bass and some lone effects in the background. 10/10
10. Scissor Lock – One of the quieter moments on the album. “I think I’m awake.” The lyrics and vocal melody are beautiful, with delayed guitar floating in the background. There are some vocal samples later in the song, helping give meaning to the song. This song has to be heard. 10/10
11. Brushstroke: (Reprise) – Starts with phasing drums panning from left to right, and then Gavin sings “Here we go, down that same ol’ road again.” (Hence the “reprise.”) The drums and Gavin’s voice are accompanied by an organ, which suddenly give away to solo acoustic guitar and slow guitar solo, similar in style to David Gilmour. 9.5/10
12. Of The Room – Another great chord progression opens this track. This is a popular favourite amongst fans. It’s clear to see why; the chorus and lyrics are amazing. It’s possible to see how some people make the comparison between the vocals of Gavin and Maynard James Keenan, particularly on this track, although I prefer Gavin’s. Hypnotising and majestic, a great song. 8.5/10.
13. Brushstroke: An Elephant In The Delta Waves – The final interlude shows Dredg’s eastern influence, with Spanish guitar carrying a tribal drum beat with female vocals over the top. Think an Indian, Great Gig in the Sky, with mariachi guitar. :-/ Great track. 8.5/10
14. It Only Took A Day – So we reach the final section of the album. This is however, one of the weakest tracks on the album. It’s possibly the heaviest point as well. The vocals are very epic, and the pre-chorus is good but it doesn’t have the same impact as the others, due mainly to its predictability. There is a very interesting vocal effect at 2.00 or so, and some impressive drumming, but it just doesn’t grab me. 6/10
15. Whoa Is Me – No matter how many times I hear these last two tracks, they never fail to blow me away. This starts with odd saxophone melodies and progresses into what is one of the best songs I’ve ever heard. The drumming on this song is superb (perhaps not technically, but creativity wise). The chorus is very unexpected with a great chord progression, and the tension is incredible. You know it’s going to break into something great, and it does. It’s enough to make you cry when he sings, “when the water comes, I will overflow.” In the background, you can hear the saxophone become more prominent, and after the second chorus everything breaks away to reveal a very lounge style sax and piano solo, and then a vocal sample ends the song. 10+/10
16. The Canyon Behind Her – The best end to an album ever, in my opinion. Starts with a techno-esque (the best I can do) delayed guitar. A female vocal samples comes in, and then cue the most epic guitar sound I’ve ever heard. It’s a wall of guitars that despite being incredibly loud don’t overpower anything else. A nice bass rhythm accompanies the same delayed guitar riff. After the second chorus, the song breaks into a bizarre and seemingly random guitar riff, before returning to the start. Again, the drumming is great, with a steady beat suddenly breaking into a crazy little fill at various points. Then comes the climax with the last chorus breaking into the most uplifting (musically, not lyrically) piece of music I’ve heard, as he sings, “I cannot find the other half.” His voice is then accompanied by a choir who bring the song and album to a close. Overblown beyond belief, but really, who cares? 10+/10.
So there you have it. It’s criminal that they haven’t received the same recognition as the bands they’re most often compared to, i.e. Tool, Pink Floyd and Radiohead, because for me Dredg’s highpoints easily match the highpoints of said bands. I don’t actually see the similarities but I would recommend anyone to have a listen to this album, regardless of what style of music you listen to. Give Leitmotif a go while you’re at it even though it’s musically very different. Overall rating, 10/10.
Dredg
El Cielo
Release Date: 2002
Gavin Hayes: Vocals/Guitar
Mark Engles: Guitar
Drew Roulette: Bass
Dino Campanella: Drums
Track Listing:
1. Brushstroke: Debtfoabaaposba 0:57
2. Same Ol’ Road 5:15
3. Sanzen 4:34
4. Brushstroke: New Heart Shadow 1:33
5. Triangle: 5:04
6. Sorry But It’s Over 4:09
7. Convalescent 3:32
8. Brushstroke: Walk In The Park 1:41
9. Eighteen People Living In Harmony 4:28
10. Scissor Lock 3:23
11. Brushstroke: (Reprise) 1:33
12. Of The Room 3:44
13. Brushstroke: An Elephant In The Delta Waves 1:47
14. It Only Took A Day 3:16
15. Whoa Is Me 5:36
16. The Canyon Behind Her 6:40
Possibly my favourite album of all time, Dredg’s second official studio release exceeded many people’s expectations. After the cult success of their debut, Leitmotif, many were surprised by the route the band had taken. Gone were the 5-minute instrumentals and rough, raw vocals that were all but hidden in a wall of guitars. With El Cielo, the vocals are at the forefront, with Hayes’ voice indicating a far more confident and melodic stance. Consisting of 11 ‘songs’ and 5 interludes, or ‘brushstrokes’, Dredg have created a masterpiece. Running on a concept of sleep paralysis (so I hear) the songs share a common theme and flow nicely and easily from one to another. Instrumentation is at its peak, in particular, Dino’s drumbeats on this album are hugely creative and thought out (something which appears to be lacking in many bands), and guitar and bass are put to effective use. Good use is made of effects and samples, particularly with the brushstroke interludes and a cool vocal sample at the end of Whoa Is Me.
Despite its somewhat subdued lyrics, the music itself is incredibly powerful and uplifting and the cd is worth the price for the last two tracks alone.
1. Brushstroke: Debtfoabaaposba 0:57 – The sound of a paintbrush on canvas with some weird effects and faint vocal wail in the background. Serves as a good intro to the album but not a song. 2/10
2. Same Ol’ Road – A simple bass line opens the track and continues throughout. For the verse, Gavin’s vocals are supported only by the bass and the guitar comes in for the pre-chorus and chorus where Gavin’s voice singing “we must push on” sails over the top. There’s a nice use of phasing on the drums with some female vocal harmonies in the background. 8/10
3. Sanzen – Starts with the fading in of guitars with a great chord progression. Vocals are on top form here. The vocals in the chorus resemble those in Same Ol’ Road, with a slight echo. Then comes the first of many time changes, which indicate a big climax, but then everything stops and the real climax comes shortly afterwards. An unpredictable but very impressive track. 8/10.
4. Brushstroke: New Heart Shadow – The first proper interlude. A nice instrumental with various guitar lines. Very peaceful. 6/10
5. Triangle – Starts with something that sounds like an organ, and drums fading in, followed by some high tremolo-picking guitar, reminiscent of Johnny Greenwood. Another unpredictable track, it suddenly changes to Gavin singing a falsetto melody. The song then changes dramatically, to what could be a different song altogether. The lyrics are a bit iffy in this section: “and babies are born, in the same building where people go to pass away.” Very profound. The song then changes direction again, with a tentative link to their previous outing, Leitmotif. Finally it veers back into the falsetto melody. 7/10.
6. Sorry But It’s Over – My least favourite track on the album. It’s a standard song, with a chord progression that reminds me of that P. Daddy track he did for Godzilla. Not a bad track by any means, it just pales in comparison to the rest of the album. 5/10
7. Convalescent – This song is very upbeat with a very jerky and pounding guitar progression. The chorus is where the song excels though and I love the lyrics. Enter the first appearance of the surf-guitar tone, a nice touch. 7/10
8. Brushstroke: Walk In The Park – The second interlude of the album is a beautiful piano piece. Accompanied by strings, this is definitely one of the high points of the album. At times, melancholic but always with a sense of peace. 9/10
9. Eighteen People Living In Harmony – Another of my favourites. Gavin’s voice is put through some kind of filter a la The Strokes. This disappears when the guitar comes in. The strings in the background of this strong carry it through. The glory point is the key change at around 1.50. A true musical orgasm moment, with multiple tracks of Gavin’s voice harmonising with each other. The build-up is phenomenal but then, again it dies out leaving only the bass and some lone effects in the background. 10/10
10. Scissor Lock – One of the quieter moments on the album. “I think I’m awake.” The lyrics and vocal melody are beautiful, with delayed guitar floating in the background. There are some vocal samples later in the song, helping give meaning to the song. This song has to be heard. 10/10
11. Brushstroke: (Reprise) – Starts with phasing drums panning from left to right, and then Gavin sings “Here we go, down that same ol’ road again.” (Hence the “reprise.”) The drums and Gavin’s voice are accompanied by an organ, which suddenly give away to solo acoustic guitar and slow guitar solo, similar in style to David Gilmour. 9.5/10
12. Of The Room – Another great chord progression opens this track. This is a popular favourite amongst fans. It’s clear to see why; the chorus and lyrics are amazing. It’s possible to see how some people make the comparison between the vocals of Gavin and Maynard James Keenan, particularly on this track, although I prefer Gavin’s. Hypnotising and majestic, a great song. 8.5/10.
13. Brushstroke: An Elephant In The Delta Waves – The final interlude shows Dredg’s eastern influence, with Spanish guitar carrying a tribal drum beat with female vocals over the top. Think an Indian, Great Gig in the Sky, with mariachi guitar. :-/ Great track. 8.5/10
14. It Only Took A Day – So we reach the final section of the album. This is however, one of the weakest tracks on the album. It’s possibly the heaviest point as well. The vocals are very epic, and the pre-chorus is good but it doesn’t have the same impact as the others, due mainly to its predictability. There is a very interesting vocal effect at 2.00 or so, and some impressive drumming, but it just doesn’t grab me. 6/10
15. Whoa Is Me – No matter how many times I hear these last two tracks, they never fail to blow me away. This starts with odd saxophone melodies and progresses into what is one of the best songs I’ve ever heard. The drumming on this song is superb (perhaps not technically, but creativity wise). The chorus is very unexpected with a great chord progression, and the tension is incredible. You know it’s going to break into something great, and it does. It’s enough to make you cry when he sings, “when the water comes, I will overflow.” In the background, you can hear the saxophone become more prominent, and after the second chorus everything breaks away to reveal a very lounge style sax and piano solo, and then a vocal sample ends the song. 10+/10
16. The Canyon Behind Her – The best end to an album ever, in my opinion. Starts with a techno-esque (the best I can do) delayed guitar. A female vocal samples comes in, and then cue the most epic guitar sound I’ve ever heard. It’s a wall of guitars that despite being incredibly loud don’t overpower anything else. A nice bass rhythm accompanies the same delayed guitar riff. After the second chorus, the song breaks into a bizarre and seemingly random guitar riff, before returning to the start. Again, the drumming is great, with a steady beat suddenly breaking into a crazy little fill at various points. Then comes the climax with the last chorus breaking into the most uplifting (musically, not lyrically) piece of music I’ve heard, as he sings, “I cannot find the other half.” His voice is then accompanied by a choir who bring the song and album to a close. Overblown beyond belief, but really, who cares? 10+/10.
So there you have it. It’s criminal that they haven’t received the same recognition as the bands they’re most often compared to, i.e. Tool, Pink Floyd and Radiohead, because for me Dredg’s highpoints easily match the highpoints of said bands. I don’t actually see the similarities but I would recommend anyone to have a listen to this album, regardless of what style of music you listen to. Give Leitmotif a go while you’re at it even though it’s musically very different. Overall rating, 10/10.