Caspian
Waking Season


3.0
good

Review

by scissorlocked USER (35 Reviews)
September 29th, 2012 | 79 replies


Release Date: 2012 | Tracklist

Review Summary: A culmination of a sound that's been dressed anew, though remaining unaltered in its core

The wisest advice for a review about a post rock album is probably to get past the whole death-of-the-genre-thing. Passing it by only by mentioning the fact that it's maybe after its own funeral that post rock will really become post-rock, seems quite sufficient. So, bearing this in mind, and knowing Caspian's past, the listening experience of Waking Season was inevitably predetermined to exclude thrills and goosebumps. However, a close listen will probably convince that what we have here is not a totally generic post-rock album, but a culmination of a sound that's been dressed anew, though remaining unaltered in its core.

Waking Season's substantial element is the climaxing density that's present from the very first listens. Standing on a massive sound's shoulders, the album progressively delivers the quite standard palette of moods a proper post-rock record must showcase. From the mellow ramblings of "Akiko", to the airy and relaxing atmospheres of "Gone In Bloom And Bough", and from the brooding power of "Porcellous" to the exhilarating catharsis of "Fire Made Flesh", it seems that the same old story can still endure with some minor alterations. Far from shaking grounds, the drumming, the guitars and the synth brushstrokes intertwine efficiently enough to produce a coherent and tight album with typical songwriting that's usually enhanced by scarce and clever additions of programmed voices, beats and tuneful guitar leads placed throughout the compositions.There is also a general change of tone, that's clinging to a more subtle aesthetic, enriching the sound with fluidity.The undoubtedly rewarding built-ups are also guaranteed, yet, it is unlikely that any careful post-rock dweller will find anything really exciting in Caspian's latest Lp.

Caught inside a vortex of bulky strumming and and melodic polyphonies, silence barely finds its way out, and when it does, it is hastily passed over. The use of dynamics is careful at times, but the songwriting fails to bring it forth by unfolding too early. The same thing applies with the instrumentation which is by no means flawed, but rather impatient and undecided with which riffs or melodies to insist on and build upon. Unfortunately, all these leads back to the exhausting "post-rock's-dead!" discussion and the ability of bands tagged with such a label to be creative in an environment that is seemingly free of rigid forms. Apparently, it seems that we're still far from creating a fruitful dialogue between innovation and consistency. Until then, I'm sure we can at least enjoy many instrumental rock albums, and Waking Season happens to be one of them.



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user ratings (303)
3.9
excellent

Comments:Add a Comment 
scissorlocked
September 29th 2012


3538 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

Streams here : http://www.spin.com/articles/caspian-waking-season-full-album-stream



Not the best post-rock album of 2012 but a good one.

Voivod
Staff Reviewer
September 29th 2012


10911 Comments


Scissor have you heard of the Hellenes Sleepin Pillow?

They are post-rock with a serious twist.



Will read later.

mindleviticus
September 29th 2012


10566 Comments


Great review! I'm going to listen to this anyway because I really liked Tertia and The Four Trees :]

scissorlocked
September 29th 2012


3538 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

yeap, and they're pretty unique! They've got these traditional elements which make their music really interesting! well, maybe I'll dig 'em more now that you mentioned them



also, thanks mindleviticus!

GiaNXGX
September 29th 2012


5466 Comments


Excellent review. I've only heard Tertia and it was great but the production was really loud and harmed the experience of listening to it. Does this album follows suit? You forgot to talk about the production :]

scissorlocked
September 29th 2012


3538 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

thanks man! When I mention sound I also mean the production as well. I think it is really improved and well-worked. Waking Season follows Tertia's footsteps but also its sound a bit. As I mention in the review, I find Waking season to be more subtle than its predecessors.

GiaNXGX
September 29th 2012


5466 Comments


Ok, I get what you mean now :] thanks!

greg84
Emeritus
September 29th 2012


7654 Comments


My comment will be similar to yours on my Danko Jones review (lol). Great review, but I'm not really into post-rock.

HighandDriving
September 29th 2012


3288 Comments


I was listening to Caspian before all of you.

Anyway this band is boring.

Jethro42
September 29th 2012


18281 Comments


Great review scissor.

scissorlocked
September 29th 2012


3538 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

thanks guys



well it isn't essentially boring, but it sometimes gets

minty901
September 29th 2012


3976 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

horrendously underrated, but i still look forward to reading the review later

scissorlocked
September 29th 2012


3538 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

on the contrary, I find this to be kinda overrated

XingKing
September 29th 2012


16198 Comments


So this is not the best post rock album of 2012? Hurm.

minty901
September 29th 2012


3976 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

it is. definitely. i was thinking about reviewing this, and if i do, it will be with the summary "The best in post-rock since Hymn to the Immortal Wind".

XingKing
September 29th 2012


16198 Comments


I started listening to the stream after reading the review and after about a third ways through the album, this is pretty damn fantastic.

minty901
September 29th 2012


3976 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

review was excellent. i agree with most of what you're saying. this is totally a stereotypical post-rock album. if somebody wanted to know what post-rock sounds like, i'd play them this. so yeah, it does completely sit within the predictable confines of a post-rock album. BUT. it's so fucking good. to the point where its the BEST example of what post-rock is and what it can be and how powerful and inspiring it is. the denseness of this album is incredible. and i liked where you described it as a "vortex". caspian are now a typical post-rock band (whereas before they had a gritty post-metal flair with tertia), but i think they are now the masters of the genre. is there anything wrong with being the best in an overcrowded genre? in fact i think thats a great achievement. caspian will be the post-rock poster child of this decade.



tl;dr: caspian are a post-rock band through and through. and they're the best one around. and this review was excellent.

minty901
September 29th 2012


3976 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

@GiaNXGX the production is SO much better than tertia. if anything this is what tertia SHOULD have been. but, it's not as heavy or metal-focussed. a lot more gentle. i prefer tertia musically, but prefer waking season for its production, so for me they're both level 4.0.



XingKing
September 29th 2012


16198 Comments


This album is stellar.

AlecBaldwin
September 29th 2012


152 Comments


Pos'd the review. I think this album is awesome.



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