 | Tracklist:
1. The Moments in Between
2. Breathe Again
3. Great Blue Sea
4. Let it Go
5. Nice to Meet You
6. Till We Make Our Ascent
7. Something in the Way That You Are
8. Rhythm Chord & Melody
9. I Hear That Music Play
10. The Mystery of Our Day
11. Morning Cloud
12. Hold Out
| Ranking: #21 for 2008 | |
| | other reviews | Max Paradise (5)
Possibly one of the greatest albums of all time. The 'classic' tag may seem like an overexaggeration... |
On 13 Lists
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| Summary: the best half-an-album you may ever hear |
3 of 4 thought this review was well written
Rhythm, Chord and Melody is one of the most puzzling, most intriguing and ultimately, most entrancing album I’ve had the pleasure of hearing. For most of the album, I wonder if I ever truly do love the album or if it’s just the record’s obvious and incredible stand-out tracks impairing my judgment. Boasting a progressive-pop sound that features absolutely stunning vocals, fully-trained jazz drum-work, and jaw-dropping piano arrangements that remind us piano is a true lead instrument and not just a down-trodden backdrop to a Coldplay power-balled, The Reign of Kindo are a both a musician’s band and a music-lover’s band in the truest sense. It’s when their obvious musical chops marry dynamic and intuitive songwriting that we get the type of songs that would make an instant modern classic. But it doesn’t always work that way. Yes, Rhythm... is a confused collection that forges together some of both the best songs out there with songs that you’d be hard-pressed to remember even with a superhuman memory. Is the inconsistency worth it in the long haul?
Well, yes. When The Reign of Kindo are firing on all cylinders, they must have ten-thousand cylinders on hand and a couple extra hundred in a Kentucky barn for back-up. Their combination of jazzy piano and percussion paired with Joseph Secchiaroli’s absolutely soaring vocals are a match made in heaven and Rhythm... has the goods to prove it. ‘Great Blue Sea’, for example, is a dynamic whirlwind of ambient ups and downs that are broken up by dissonant piano triplets and a set of multiple but equally catchy chorus hooks; each one entrancing the listener into a reverb-soaked, liquid-lucid dream. This entrancing quality too defines the album’s best track ‘The Moments in Between’: starting subtly with a haunting piano progression, the song slowly trickles upwards in a stream of brushes, falsetto vocals, arpeggios and increasing tension before exploding into a huge chorus that has Secchiaroli’s using every which part of his range possible while drummer Steven Padin plays a thunderous polyrhythm over the already huge section. Embracing dynamic perfectly, ‘The Moments in Between’ is an amalgam of everything possibly good about pop and/or progressive music and raises the bar high for The Reign of Kindo straight from the get-go.
Yet while poppier cuts like the John Mayer-esque ‘Let It Go’, ‘Nice to Meet You’ and the strangely bouncy ‘The Mystery of Our Day’ are complimented by the dramatic and emotional instrumental climax of the title track, there comes a point in which the tracks blur together too seamlessly and the magic is lost. ‘Til We Make Our Descent’, ‘Something in the Way You Are’ and ‘Hold Out’ are perfect examples of The Reign of Kindo’s average-band impression. Without sustaining the incredible dynamic that made the band’s best songs so incredible, they roll on aimlessly like locomotives devoid of obvious melodies but chockfull of ideas and good intentions. ‘Hold Out’ itself doesn’t let up for one moment in its five moments but it never once deviates from its fast-paced western motif during its long tenure - it’s repetitiveness in tracks like these and other unmentioned, unremarkable tracks that make Rhythm, Chord and Melody so puzzlingly inconsistent. You’d think the band capable of writing ‘Great Blue Sea’ would be able to write songs of its like for an entire album but sadly The Reign of Kindo have a salary cap on their brilliance. This won’t stop the album’s best tracks but being anything but the best music has to offer though and it certainly won’t stop The Reign of Kindo of being one of the most talented bands around right now - but it does stop Rhythm, Chord and Melody from being the absolute masterpiece it could’ve been.
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| Recent reviews by this author | | | |
Album Rating: 4
Weird review to write because I really want people to listen to this but it's not like I can write a 5 review for it... regardless, listen to these songs.
The Moments in Between: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUPILO5ycqg
Great Blue Sea: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnUwHztRemM
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They made one hell of a great album last year THAT NOBODY FUCKING LISTENED TO so I think I'll give this a shot. Ace review as always!
Digging: Suis La Lune - Riala Digging: Suis La Lune - Riala
| | | Album Rating: 4
This is much more moody and thoughtful than This Is What Happens, which is pretty poppy in comparison. Both are great though.
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i'll go ahead and paraphrase a particularly insightful youtube commenter w.r.t. this band--something like, "this band is almost too good. obviously that's naturally paradoxical, but their completely flawless proficiency in singing, songwriting, instrumentation, production etc. sort of makes a passage from enjoyable to, like, somehow uncomfortable. like, i think i would like them better if they were actually a little sloppier or something"
i don't know if that makes sense but
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Yeah I absolutely loved their latest, so I'll give this a shot. This band deserves more press.
| | | Album Rating: 4
like a sparkling clean house with beautiful furniture but no evidence humans live in it?
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"like a sparkling clean house with beautiful furniture but no evidence humans live in it?"
yeah, bingo! this isn't to disparage them, and this is also an opinion that doesn't have much solid listening to back it up (haven't heard this album, e.g.). and they also have some totally kickass songs for sure
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what i'd want to buy that house
Digging: Simian Mobile Disco - Unpatterns Digging: Simian Mobile Disco - Unpatterns
| | | Album Rating: 4
yes but not if that house was an album!
i totally understand that though, this is a perfect band for that description (perfect, ha). too bad they wrote great blue sea eh
or october's storm
why is that a b-side, so dumb
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"recommended by reviewer
The Dear Hunter The Color Spectrum
Minus the Bear Planet of Ice"
what the fuck seriously? I listened to one of their albums a little while ago, their newest one I forget the name, and it was pretty good but kind of same-y. I probably won't bother with any of their other material, even though you do make this sound pretty good.
Digging: Hop Along - Get Disowned
| | | Album Rating: 4
yeah. their new album is way poppier and shit
listen to the two songs i posted, maybe they'll be more your speed. not much commitment in watching a youtube video!
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ugh i cant say no to that sweet face of yours. Ill listen to ONE but I hope you know I'm pausing Mountain Goats for this.
| | | Album Rating: 3
The Moments in Between, listen to this one
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yeah I'm listening to it now, amazing track. fucking Caleb, making me rethink my stance on this band. I don't like the vocals but that's about the only thing I didn't love there. dayum I might have to give this album a shot.
| | | Album Rating: 4
dude vocals are ace but i understand why people could dislike them. this one is, as I mentioned, also same-y but some songs are too good to pass up...
I personally have a perfect LP made out of the best songs off both albums. not samey, not inconsistent and not too long like they're real LPs can be
sometimes playlists save music
| | | Album Rating: 4
so yeah, if you have both of their full-lengths, my playlist of preference for their 4/5 album is (and you were dying to know):
1. The Moments in Between
2. Nightingale
3. I Hear That Music Play
4. Flowers By the Moon
5. Symptom of a Stumbling
6. Out of Sight, Out of Mind
7. October's Storm
8. Great Blue Sea
9. Rhythm, Chord & Melody
10. The Mystery of Our Day
11. Psalm
yep
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contributor takeover
Digging: Candlemass - Psalms For The Dead Digging: Candlemass - Psalms For The Dead
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Yeah, I'll check this out later. Intrigued, to say the least.
Digging: Million Dead - A Song to Ruin Digging: Million Dead - A Song to Ruin
| | | Album Rating: 4
haha well sir dante, when half of the site is now a contributing reviewer, it's bound to happen
not to detract from the promotions at all, they're well deserved.. if anything, it's just a testament to the growing amount of writing talent we have
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Oh, and for those of you who are new to the band, check out their EP, it's amazing.
Just Wait - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIZRIf1LnSY
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