Chroma Key
You Go Now


2.0
poor

Review

by Reverse Perpendiculars USER (27 Reviews)
June 15th, 2011 | 11 replies


Release Date: 2000 | Tracklist

Review Summary: It's sad to say, but Kevin Moore's talent does not shine near as strong on his solo projects as it does when he is a guest artist.

Kevin Moore is an enigma. Throughout his short lived tenure with Dream Theater and the years of his musical flexibility to play with Fates Warning and also build movie scores and unique side projects OSI and Chroma Key, Kevin Moore has always shown an aptitude for unparalleled songwriting. No matter what musical endeavor he is applied to, he turns a collected and thought-out release into a completely unfathomable masterpiece. Progressive metal fans have drooled over his work because of this, naming Images and Words, Awake, A Pleasant Shade of Gray and Disconnected as works that could not have held their ground today without his appearance on them. And it makes it all the more difficult to admit it, but Moore's appearance as an introvert personality has little effect when placed on its own. There's no punches, no cathartic lyrics, and only small amounts of tangible material that has obviously had something to do with the Chroma Key project being rather unfairly unnoticed.

Unlike the upbeat speak that started "Undertow" and "America the Video," things are foggy here at best, and even the lyrics are less cutting than the moments where he used to dance inbetween the worlds of poetry and storytelling. The beats drag with a grounded urgency, the words hit the ground and the ambience is impossible to see through. There's not much in the way of harmonic approach on "You Go Now" because Kevin decided to make his lower vocal range to be the highest melody of the song. Everything seems compressed under him for this reason, and there are tons of moments that are a passageway to highlighting bliss, and they're wasted. The bulk of the experience feels more like a psychiatrists re-reading of dialogue into a handheld recorder tape.

The drooling, mindless "Get Back In The Car" is truly an example of firm a bloated nature, even if it is a nice change to have something calmer than his past works. "Another Permanent Address" is what should have started the album due to it's pacing. "When You Drive" and "Subway" are possibly the worst by relying on excessive quotes and sound effects, making them feel more like an intro and outro placed awkwardly in the middle of the action. The moment that seems to truly benefit is his upbeat number "Astronaut Down." where Moore's instruments are pieced together flawlessly. From the mind that thought up the depressive expression behind "Lie," it still all seems abandoned in lieu of a more comfortable chair for Kevin to not be touring with thousands of raging fans screaming "play Space-Dye Vest!" There isn't anything to upset Moore here, or provoke his creative flow, and that's not a bad thing. He should be happy. but nevertheless his stream is all dried up. This is why OSI has succeeded so much more vastly, because the ambitiousness of playing with others has resulted in a stronger work than the dull and secluded experience of playing off of himself. He already should know that he is a genius at this stuff, and we respect his decision to be his own outlet for music expression.

No matter how genius Kevin Moore truly is, his prowess is surely is not applied strongly here. There aren't even any fills in the drum beats like his previous albums. There's little in the thought of a musical color, and there is hardly even any difference between the grey moods presented.

Recommended:
Get Back in the Car
Astronaut Down



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user ratings (36)
3.6
great


Comments:Add a Comment 
Parallels
June 16th 2011


10166 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0

That makes 20

Willie
Moderator
June 16th 2011


20311 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Damn, man. I thought we were friends, but fuck you and this review!



Seriously, though, there is a lot of music out there that kind of does what Kevin does here. The 'randomness' of some of the vocal lines and the samples is supposed to ensure that the soothing ambience never lulls the listener to sleep. It's an effective way of keeping a listener on their toes despite the mellow nature of the music. Ambient artists do it all the time. Also, I don't think the vocals were supposed to be any more important than any other part of the music, that's why they're mixed down. Anyway, it is a well-written review and that's what the question asks, so have a pos.

Parallels
June 16th 2011


10166 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0

well this was extremely difficult for me to write

Willie
Moderator
June 16th 2011


20311 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

I hate Graveyard Mountain Home. I thought it was boring as shit ;)

Parallels
June 16th 2011


10166 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0

WTF man

Willie
Moderator
June 16th 2011


20311 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

I like the direction of his first two albums. Graveyard was too abstract and minimalistic. There are too many bands that do that sound better than he did.

Voivod
Staff Reviewer
June 16th 2011


10959 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

I strongly disagree with the rating.



The album is excellent and very different from the debut.



Just like Graveyard Mountain Home is great and equally different from this.





Will comment on the review later in the day.

Parallels
June 17th 2011


10166 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0

oh joy, now im really gonna feel like shit. maybe i should just change the review, because I actually do like it.

Voivod
Staff Reviewer
June 18th 2011


10959 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

The review is well written, but i can't help but think that you could say the same things using less paragraphs/words.









btw, I'm spinning this right now, it is still excellent.

Meridiu5
January 15th 2019


4180 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

rating gets the gist of it. album is very hit or miss, full of incomplete ideas

ChrimzonCanine
December 19th 2021


2080 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Another Permanent Address hits hard



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