Review Summary: Sentiment
Some music can be described quite simply, some requires a little more explanation, and a small portion possesses an indescribable trait that words will do no justice. Sure, when I tell you that the album at hand, Safekeeper by Virginian trio Comrades, will sound like Russian Circles and Explosions in the Sky tinged with the heavier side of post-hardcore, similar to early Thrice , and at times the technicality and pace of The Fall of Troy , it is an accurate description of what you will hear , but it does not even begin to crack the surface of what you will experience.
The band’s focus on instrumentation is obvious and expertly carried out. There is a lot of criticism of modern post-rock for essentially ripping off bands like Explosions in the Sky, and just making sappy audio backdrops for film, and those statements are not completely out of line, but Comrades exemplifies how to mix their influences, and come out with a unique sound that is their own. Instrumentally, the group manages to create the density and timbre to encapsulate the listener, yet do not sacrifice any melody or groove that you can latch on to and lose yourself within. Not only do Comrades drop the over-usage of tremolo that is far too present in modern post-rock, they also drop the typical build-up style of the genre. Yes there is rising and falling action within the music, but that is to be expected, and to replace the overly long build-ups, Comrades have opted to take the listener on a ride to find beauty in not only the softest musical moments, but also the heaviest and most aggressive. The highly distorted guitars are expertly crafted and written to convey not only a sense of cathartic emotion, but also a true sense of beauty within the onslaught of dense heaviness.
While the focal point of this group is the instrumentation, many of the songs contain vocal lines to enhance the mood and setting. These vary from chants, and soft, dissonant, clean female vocals, to spoken word, and aggressively screamed vocalizations. So begins my first, and only real quarrel with the album, and that would be the inconsistency of the placement of vocals (not the vocals themselves). The harsh screams are executed perfectly and really contribute to the vibe and aura of the album, so there is no real complaint in that sect. The female clean singing is not done poorly, it is clear from the very beginning of the record that Laura McElroy can sing, and it can contribute wonderfully to the atmosphere of the piece, but in a minor amount of incidents they can detract from said atmosphere. Truth be told, nearly all complaints are a round of splitting hairs, for as a whole, this release is nothing but solid to mind-numbingly outstanding music.
One of the highlights of the album is the two-and-a-half minute instrumental track “Calling Down Fire (To Keep Warm)” which shows off the technical chops of all three band members in a bombastic, modern, textural post-hardcore affair. The real pinnacle of the record is the closer “The End of This Story and the Beginning of All the Others”, which begins with a dissonant guitar played by Joe McElroy, paired with distant tom hits from drummer Ben Trussell. Over top of the instruments a man speaks inspirationally of “living on a different currency”, “one that cannot be stolen, cannot depreciate”. "Finding our hearts desires not simply a matter of heaven or hell, it is not only the end, but the beginning that matters” leads straight into the most cohesive and mesmerizing instrumental segments of the album (especially 2:40) leaving the listener perplexed and truly fulfilled as the song meanders its way to an end.
There is one standout attribute that is group seems to posses and it is their shared faith. As a relatively agnostic individual I find it truly inspiring when music can convey an uplifting message that is blatantly religious and spiritual, but is meant to appeal to everyone who is open to any sort of fulfillment and happiness in life. It is a strange sense of ambiguity that is reminiscent of the group MewithoutYou and their emotional attachment to everyone, even if they don’t share the same (or any) religion or faith. Comrades seem to have done a masterful job of channeling their strong feelings into an extremely approachable record that has widespread appeal.
With that being said, when you go to listen to “Safekeeper”, or any new or old album for that matter, don’t just hear it, listen to it, and experience it.
