People often say that all the modern, post-emo, indie stuff all sounds the same. Well, only people with whom the music doesn�t click with would ever say that. For people like you and me, we find new and unique things in our music and the scene, because we�ve simply acquired the taste or naturally love it.
The Sound of Animals Fighting totally blows the stereotypes away. It seems almost impossible to nonchalantly group this band into the genres of today. It�s almost hard to call this a band in the first place. First of all, the members are practically anonymous. We do know that the project is a compilation of members from other bands, but the names are not released; instead we get their animal names, like The Walrus, The Octopus, and The Armadillo. Why would they do that? It�s generally understood that the anonymity is for legal reasons, but it does a lot to add to the mystic effect of the project. You can take wild guesses at who�s in it, but it�s obvious that it�s Anthony Green singing most of it. You can�t hide from us, buddy.
Robby told me to write 500+ words for LPs and 350+ for EPs. I have no idea which this CD is. It�s 34 minutes long, nine tracks total. Interestingly, the album is compiled like Mussorgsky�s �Pictures at an Exhibition.� There is an overture, a postlude, and interlude between each of the four �acts.� The acts are tracks two, four, six, and eight, and the rest are instrumental. According to CD summary written by Smartpunk, by a guy whose probably as in the dark as I am, this is an actual opera. But there�s spoken words in Act III (Track 6)! Disqualified! It�s only a musical.
The Sound of Animals Fighting has no peer in the music world, period. They loosely resemble the general direction traveled by The Mars Volta. The instrumental parts are definitely unorthodox, the time signatures are mind-bending, the vocals are volatile and melodic, and there�s a plethora of electronic ramblings. The intro in Act IV recapitulates back to the riff in Act I (yes this album repeats itself, but so does opera so shut up). Lots of impressive musicianship. Even the freaks in Dream Theater might be impressed by some of the virtuoso displayed.
My problem with this album/EP is the postlude/Track 9. It�s pointless. It sounds like someone�s doing indecent things to a drum machine and recording it with muted treble. I want six minutes of my life back.
Not only does this CD not fall into any set genre, it can�t even be called an EP or album, and this can�t really be called a band. Challenge yourself, get this CD.
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C.L. '05 |
