 | Tracklist:
1. Where I Was
2. Monochromatic
3. Streching Arms, Shaking Hands
4. In Blight and Boast
5. The Undertow
6. My Absent Crown, My Diadem
7. Sundown
8. Ashen, Pallid
| Ranking: #5 for 2011 | |
| | other reviews | Collin (4.5)
I was swept under the current of my own naiveté, taken aback by crimes against conscience unconscio... |
On 21 Lists
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| Summary: A promising start |
Atmospheric sounds have always been a big part of the better side of post-hardcore. Thrice and Thursday experimented with both quite heavily, and before them bands like Frodus and Fugazi imbued their off-kilter experimentation with a sense of mood and presence that can barely be matched. More recently, this has continued into new realms by the ever-expanding influence of bands like Explosions in the Sky and Mogwai on the current group of upstarts. That's not to say that these kind of sounds and tremolo picked sonic exploration are new to the genre because they have been there for years and years, but now it seems as though not only is it more prevalent but also more deliberate.
Barrow's Being Without is a beautiful listen. Pulling influence from equal parts of the best of the last few years of what post-hardcore has had to offer, Being Without takes the familiar guise of screamed vocals mixed with slightly off key cleans and big melodies and wraps them in the shimmering sheen of the most recent fix of screamo wave bands. At it's best, the resulting sound is a huge wall of post-rock influenced sounds and As Cities Burn-isms that burst and bloom into galloping crescendos. Luckily, Barrow's sound usually comes together quite nicely, and more often than not they reach the same high's that their friends in Iselia did earlier this year with Life From Dead Limbs, especially with their more atmospheric numbers. When they do get a little off, it usually comes from a clashing of sounds between the clean sung vocals and the screams. While the cleans in songs such as “An Absent Crown, My Diadem” are perfectly set with the brooding atmosphere of the track, when transferred over to a track like “In Blight and Boast” the result is not as pleasant as the intended harmony is more of a distraction than anything else. But the few moments that have you thinking, “hey, when did Tell All Your Friends creep into my screamo?!” don't necessarily damper the listening experience because when Barrow are firing on all cylinders the sound is absolutely gorgeous.
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the recs alone make me want to check this out. I always had a slight soft spot for this post-hardcore stuff that mixes mood and atmosphere-even though tons of bands do it.
as always nice review adam im gonna check this out
Digging: Death Grips - The Money Store
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
This looks interesting, and good review.
Digging: Old Man Gloom - NO Digging: Old Man Gloom - NO | | |
i cant find anywhere to download this
Digging: Chromatics - Kill For Love
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
It's not released until the 20th.
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oh, right
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Who gave this a 1?
Digging: Xerxes - Our Home Is A Deathbed Digging: Xerxes - Our Home Is A Deathbed | | | Album Rating: 3.5
Sounds interesting.
Digging: The Mayan Factor - 44 Digging: The Mayan Factor - 44 | | |
Whenever someone says something is a "promising start" in a review, I never think of it getting over 3.5 out of 5 for a rating. Just something that irks me lol. Good review other than that. This sounds good.
Digging: Patrick Watson - Adventures in Your Own Backyard Digging: Patrick Watson - Adventures in Your Own Backyard
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
55 seconds in to "in blight and boast" i decided to pre-order this disc. shit's amazing.
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This looks awesome, listening now.
Edit: Those cleans kill it for me : (
Digging: Lemuria (BE) - Tales, Ale, and Fire Digging: Lemuria (BE) - Tales, Ale, and Fire
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I don't listen to enough post-hardcore. Something tells me I would like this lots though.
Also, Adam, you haven't posted a "Best of 2011" list yet, have you? Get on it!
Digging: My Bloody Valentine - Loveless Digging: My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
I love the clean vocals.
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It's a shame the harsh vocals ruin it for me... too thin.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Heard a few tracks off this and it sounds like it's gonna be legit awesome.
Can't wait to get hold of the full LP. Sick vocals.
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recommended by reviewer
As Cities Burn Come Now Sleep
where do I sign up
Digging: mewithoutYou - Ten Stories Digging: mewithoutYou - Ten Stories
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
My old band is playing their CD release and I'm playing drums. I'm pretty stoked.
Digging: Bjork - Biophilia Digging: Bjork - Biophilia | | | Album Rating: 4.5
Great band. Good review buddy.
Digging: The Chariot - Long Live | | |
Just listened to a few tracks on their facebook. Sounds really good. Reading the comments made them seem like really genuine guys too, which may actually convince me to get this in itself.
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I'm so excited to see all of the comments here. Interested or not, it means a lot to see people taking the time to listen to music I've played an active part in.
We're actually streaming the entire album on Bandcamp now, so if you're interested, please take the time to listen! I really hope you enjoy it.
http://barrowband.bandcamp.com
Thanks!
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
despite of the cleans I find this to be magnificent. especially for a 'newcomer' band like them.
also a fine read - as always, redsky.
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