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 | Tracklist:
1. Ectoplasm
2. Messengers
3. Snake Oil
4. Angels
5. Never Dead
6. Never Born
7. August, 1980 (June,2011 Version)[Bonus
Track]
| Ranking: #17 for 2011 | |
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On 150 Lists
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| Summary: A trembling hand with big ideas. |
6 of 6 thought this review was well written
When first listening to Trophy Scars fresh summer EP, Never Born, Never Dead, I found myself making strange connections between the music and the classic Mafioso film The Godfather. There was a cinematic entrancement about the way the music flowed and how the writing climaxed just at the right moment like a true theatrical masterpiece. Lead man Jerry Jones’ olive oil voice and New Jersey charm conjured images of the wedding scene at the beginning of Coppola’s film when Johnny Fontane sang to a group of swooning Italians, all the while the Don was peering through the window of his empirical perch, making deals to kill men and redeem tragedies. It was the contrast between the sophisticated and traditional Italian life on the outside, and the brutal reality of the business within the house that made the Corleone family truly intimidating – artists of deceit and trickery. That same style of a fresh shine on the exterior, but with a savage interior, was brilliantly utilized on Never Born, Never Dead as it tells stories of love and death; vengeance and cruelty.
As the album rings into life with an ominous cacophony and a clip of Charles Manson (the first of many cleverly used samples), the stage is set for Jerry Jones to take over. His vocal work throughout the EP is unpredictable, as it can switch from a silky falsetto to a gravely shout at any given moment. The album begins powerful, with “Messengers” pulling no punches as it details the wicked life of a bloodthirsty criminal in a style reminiscent of a classic Spaghetti Western. They utilized this same technique for the next track, “Snake Oil” – a tense tale with gritty instrumentation to accentuate Jones’ guttural vocals. This first half of the record is most reminiscent of Trophy Scars earlier work as a more traditional post-hardcore group, but as “Snake Oil” fades out with its sinister piano, they immediately introduce the softer side of the record.
“Angels” begins with piano work reminiscent of something that could be found in a 1940s jukebox. With another tale of love and loss flowing with the melodic piano and drumming patterns, brilliantly concluded with a heartbreaking sample from Lost, they come to the peak of the album. “Never Dead”, perhaps one of the best songs to come from 2011, is as tragic as it is charming. Jones’ clashing vocal style working at its best with the distorted strumming of the electric guitar and subtle horn usage comes to an incredible crescendo as the song fades into another fantastic sample from the 2002 film Adaptation.
With its final theatric hurrah, Never Born, Never Dead ends with “Never Born”, a calming song to properly conclude the album’s overwhelming ferocious nature. Through the album’s ups and down, there is never a moment of filler or a note that seems unnecessary. The instrumentation that adjusts itself for the subject matter of each song and never plays second to the writing or vocals ties the album together in a flawless fashion. Easily the EP of 2011, Never Born, Never Dead takes every important aspect of music – writing, instrumentation, atmosphere, singing – and ties them together in a way rarely paralleled and a cinematic fashion that would give Coppola a run for his money.
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| Recent reviews by this author | | | |
Album Rating: 5 | Sound Off
in which i make shitty references and act as pretentious as possible
Digging: fun. - Aim and Ignite Digging: fun. - Aim and Ignite | | | Album Rating: 3.5
yeah we get it, it's good
Digging: Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music Digging: Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music | | | Album Rating: 4.5
this one has naturally grown off of me a little bit since its release. might lower to a 4. darkness is the better of the two for sure.
| | | Album Rating: 4
hey man. good review.
Digging: Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music Digging: Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music | | | Album Rating: 5 | Sound Off
yeah we get it, it's good
oh cool thanks i'll keep that in mind.
thanks, piglet.
| | | Album Rating: 5
Josh is a faggot. Oh yeah, good review. Loved the intro, but after that it reads like a REALLY good track by track, lol. I didn't pause once though, so that must be a good thing. Pos bro.
Digging: OFWGKTA - The OF Tape Vol. 2 Digging: OFWGKTA - The OF Tape Vol. 2 | | | Album Rating: 5 | Sound Off
Yeah I can see that, but with six tracks I figured I may as well talk about each song. Thanks man
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
'I've waited my whole damn life to turn my whole damn life around'
| | | Album Rating: 5
Yeah, there's not much to write about with only 6 tracks, 1 being an intro, haha. So 5 tracks? :-p
| | | Album Rating: 5 | Sound Off
Indeed, but fuck it's such a great intro. That manson clip is so perfectly used
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sweet review bro. still haven't decided what to make of this band yet
Digging: Candlemass - Psalms For The Dead Digging: Candlemass - Psalms For The Dead
| | | Album Rating: 5
Oh no I've been called a faggot over the interwebz!
Not the first time.
And yeah, that Manson clip is awesoooooooome!
| | | Album Rating: 5 | Sound Off
Thanks dante, much appreciated
| | | Album Rating: 5
Not trying to bother you, just simply stating the obvious.
Oh yeah, Trophy Scars snippet "leaked" by Jerry himself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fhv5iRF2XYo
Enjoy it dudes.
| | | Album Rating: 5 | Sound Off
Will check it out after school, fuck this blocked youtube shit
| | | Album Rating: 5 | Sound Off
"darkness is the better of the two for sure. "
nope
oh and fuck fish
(shit I say that a lot)
Digging: Hop Along - Get Disowned Digging: Hop Along - Get Disowned | | | Album Rating: 5 | Sound Off
my alternate summary was: in which Jerry Jones says fuck fish
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
that clip sounds awesome. sounds like something that wouldn't have felt out of place on Bad Luck.
Digging: Mount Eerie - Clear Moon Digging: Mount Eerie - Clear Moon | | | Album Rating: 5 | Sound Off
yeah that clip rules. I can't wait for the LP to come out so I can 5 it.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
As lovely as the Manson shpeal is, the LOST clip is so much better.
Digging: Shub-Niggurath - Les morts von vite | | | |
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