Review Summary: Beautiful
I realize that this already has some 5 star ratings, however, I just had to voice my opinion on the matter, please don't be too harsh, this is after all my first review.
Most people on this site know who CTTS are, if not then I assume you've been living under a rock. CTTS are an emo act that are different than probably most of the other stuff that you've heard. Everything on this album is flawless in my opinion, from the unique combination of both vocalists Drew and Cathy, to the technical instrumentation.
We're first graced with the introduction, nothing really special here, just another intro with some whistling in the background, a little freaky to be quite honest. Anyways, this will be heard in the form of a piano in the later track "Interview at the Ruins". After the introduction is over we are presented with what may arguably be the best track on the album "Same Shade As Concrete".
Rejoice, rejoice a noble birth, a prince is born
Rejoice indeed! This song goes through a lot of change and has both Drew and Cathy wailing away on the mic. The guitar work on this song is very noticable, but not quite as much as the drums which just fit perfectly. The lyrics, (poetic as they may be) tend to be a bit over-dramatic at times, this is seen throughout most of the rest of the album and is probably the only notable problem I can find with this album.
There are some punk elements to be found on this album as well. The easiest one to weed out if you ask me is "Crowquill". There are a lot of time signature changes in this song and it's only a few minutes long, this, however, adds to it. Crowquill just seems to be an in your face, fast, heavy song that's just overall fun in almost every aspect. Other songs such as "Interview at the Ruins", great as it may be, just fail to grab your attention as much as other songs do. Well this may be the easiest song for someone hearing CTTS for the first time to get into, It's also the most boring song and there are true works of art to be heard on this album.
Coming close to being the best CTTS song, "Kill the Switch" is truly wonderous to behold. Right from the beginning you know you're in for a treat. This is just one of those songs that starts out fast and just doesn't seem to let up. It's quick, it's intense, it's gut wretching, it's everything you could ever ask for in a song. I must say that the instrumentation on this track is just brutal to the max and Drew really showcases how awesome he is with his guitar.
In short, if you haven't already checked this band out, you have no idea what you're missing out on. The musicianship is great, the tracks are all perfect in their own right, the vocals are top notch and amongst some of the weirdest you'll find. While songs like "A Crater to Cough In" may seem over dramatic, or "Interview at the Ruins", may just bore the hell out of you, the album as a whole is consistent and just works. This should be in everyone's top 10 list, if not top 5.
A+
