The Dear Hunter - Migrant

Source

Track Listing:
1. Bring You Down

2. Whisper

3. Shame

4. An Escape

5. Shouting at the Rain

6. The Kiss of Life

7. Girl

8. Cycles

9. Sweete Naivete

10. Let Go

11. The Vicious Place

12. Don't Look Back

The album is available to listen for free on Billboard.com which is why all songs link back to

the same article. [EDIT] Since finishing this post, Billboard.com has removed most of the album.
Therefore, I suggest you listen to the album using Spotify.

Try The Calamari brings you another review of The Dear Hunter with the release of their first ever nonconceptual album Migrant (I ordered the deluxe package because I'm a nerd. Also, because the band is phenomenal). Casey Crescenzo with his familar orchestral and theatrical sound that massages the sound holes.

The album begins with a track that gently lures the listener into the album through soothing strings and steady keys. Bring You Down soon introduces Casey's vocals and an explosion of horns. The song is quite deceiving as it starts with a somewhat bleak aura and transitions into an uplifting, encouraging harmony.

Whisper starts off quite jaunty with a very fast-paced tempo. This track uses a vast combination of instruments which makes for boisterous adventure. However, the following song Shame takes the pace down a notch by introducing a parlor type atmosphere. The violin, piano, and conservative snare carries the track for a time before a subtle orchestral sound rings forth later.

Next, An Escape brings back the accelerating tempo and showcases another uplifting song.
Girl starts with a grungy and repetitive guitar and drum beat, but at around 0:45, the song breaks into a more polished sound. What's truly interesting about this song is that it features Casey's sister Azia in the background vocals. The track closes out powerfully with Casey's familiar style of shouts and explosion of intruments. My only complaint about this song is that it's too short (Otherwise, it rivals the sound of an angel beat boxing into a harmonica... which I assume would be a particularly pleasant sound).

Cycles is a soothing rhyme with easy vocals. The verying tempos work with one another to create a wavering melody that is quite serene. The Vicious Place also has a similar vibe to the song. What makes this song unique is the subtle piano breakdown that hovers over a void of silence. And finally, finishing off the album is Don't Look Back. This song is somehwat repetative in lyrics, but the instrumentals are more than enough to make up for the simplicity.

Sorry for my absense and the half-assedness of this review, but this post has been sitting half-done in my draft box for weeks, so I figured I'd get it over with. To conclude this review, I strongly suggest that you give this album a listen. I'm not only saying that because these guys are my favorite band but because this album is brilliantly orchestrated and wonderfully directed.

Final Verdict:

The River Empires - Epilogue

Source

Track Listing:

1. The River Empires Theme I

2. Overture In Thales Summer

3. Our Neighbor The Earth

4. The Coventry

5. Galloping Through Day Blooms

6. The Harbourland

7. From Faye To Astral

8. A Toast To The Snake King

9. The First Message

10. Catacombs And Orchards

11. Three Tigers

12. Stag Hollow Fair

13. Lull Of Celeste

14. From Outside The Cellar

15. Vcias In The Pines

16. A Dimmer Lux

17. Lillius

18. Witches Blossom

19. The Curse Of Maybel Cains

20. Wildbriar

21. The Motorbike

22. The Pelican

23. The Backyard In Sparkles

24. Land Of Canoes

25. Theon The Fox

26. An Elliptic Figure From Borelli

27. The Marching Of The Clocks

28. The Woods Of Northland

29. The River Empires Theme II

To continue my streak, I present to you yet another concept album, Epilogue by The River Empires. However, unlike the the previous concept albums I've recently reviewed, this album does not weave a chronological story; rather, it acts as the soundtrack to a yet unmade screenplay trilogy called, well, The River Empires. Don't you fret, though; Epilogue doesn't not reveal any spoilers as the album is too difficult to make sense of. If you're looking to learn more about the cultivation of this peculiar album because you found my brief explanation hollow, emotionless, and inadequate, then read this.

Moving onward, The River Empires came to fruition when Falling Up's Jessy Ribordy and Josh Shroy teamed up with the likes of The Dear Hunter's Casey Crescenzo (What a coincidence—I swear I'm not stalking him) and a collaboration of other talented artists to bring to life this intricate story of two children who stumble upon a cryptic message in a bottle. The band has a sound all its own which combines bluegrass, folk, and indie with soothing vocals, deep-country twang, soundscape, and standard rock instrumentals.

The album begins with and ends with two variations of the soundtrack's theme, The River Empires Theme I and The River Empires Theme II. The first version of the theme starts off with a repetitive, slightly mournful piano melody as a childish, fragmented piano plays in the background. The song then seamlessly transitions into Overture In Thales Summer, where Jessy Ribody's tranquilizing vocals are put on display. The second variation, The River Empires Theme II, starts in the same way as the initial theme but later implements orchestral and surreal instrumentation to close out the album. It appropriately correlates to the album's title as the initial theme evokes speculations of finality; whereas, the second theme is expressive of tranquility and completeness (I try so hard to make sense. It's sometimes painful).

The album is comprised of songs varying in tempos and ranges. A few of the tracks carry a hymn-like atmosphere such as The Coventry and others maintain a soothing atmosphere such as Catacombs And Orchards. Usually these songs are heavy in piano melodies and hold a conservative use of string instruments.

However, there are also purely instrumental tracks which appear as though they signify action including From Faye To Astral and The Pelican, which songs that sound almost sly and mischievous, and The First Message and Wildbriar, which seems suggestive of rapid-paced action or passage of time. Furthermore, there are tracks that the band seemingly uses as playgrounds for experimental sounds, soundscape, and recorded conversations such as Galloping Through Day Blooms, Stag Hollow Fair, and The Woods Of Northland.

The songs which verily bring forth The River Empires' full range of talent are the upbeat songs which sport a heavy bluegrass influence and an indie rock persona. The three best examples of this are A Toast To The Snake King, Three Tigers, and A Dimmer Lux. A Toast To The Snake King isn't at all shy with the amount of twangity twang. It is definitely the most upbeat and fast-paced song on the album, as well. Three Tigers doesn't flaunt the bluegrass influence quite as much as A Toast To The Snake Kin, but that's not to say that it isn't at all apparent. What really sets this song apart from the rest is the band-wide chant that takes place at 2:20. Now, I'm not usually a fan of chants, but this band executes it flawlessly, which is a bizarre claim considering that they emphasize the flaws in the chant (i.e. vocals drawing longer on than expected, varying pitches). Lastly,  A Dimmer Lux holds the trophy for the catchiest and most mesmerizing beat. It is, in my opinion, the best track on the album.

Alright, to wrap up this long-winded review, I'll leave you off with a bit of a synopsis. Although I feel as if The River Empires might go a little haywire with the experimental tracks and the album is difficult to interpret in context, the sound is one-of-a-kind. This mix of genre is so original and the band executes it so exquisitely that you'll be doing yourself an injustice not to give it a chance. It may not be for everyone, but I reiterate, it deserves some gosh darn attention.

Final Verdict:

The Dear Hunter - The Lake South, The River North

Source

Track Listing:

1. Battesimo Del Fuoco

2. The Lake South

3. City Escape

4. The Inquiry of Ms. Terri

5. 1878

6. The Pimp and the Priest

7. Hands Matched His Tongue

8. The River North

Welcome to Try The Calamari, a blog devoted to reviewing albums through the eyes of a musically illiterate ninny. And, what better way to kick off the blog than to do a review of an album starring to my all-time favorite band, The Dear Hunter.

I'll eventually get around to reviewing all their albums because I'm a certifiably obsessive lunatic. But that's for later, and this is now. Today I will be reviewing the first album to kick off their ongoing saga, Act 1: The Lake South, The River North.

This 8 track EP is the beginning of a 6 Act (not to be confused with Parliament's Six Acts) story line woven by the exceedingly talented singer and songwriter, Casey Crescenzo. In a turtle shell, the tale follows the trials of young man after the unfortunate passing of his affectionate, prostitute mother. It's an incredibly intricate and gripping story line, so it's best to leave you with nothing more than an extremely brief synopsis (if you wind up lost, there are Act summaries online).

The EP begins with an acapella performance that forcibly rams its fist down your throat and snatches the air right out of your esophagus. There's no better way to showcase your band's debut other than flexing your vocal cords for the audience. Battesimo Del Fuoco is most certainly a force to be reckoned with, but don't think the magic stops there. No-ho-ho, my friends. The show has just begun.

Despite the aforementioned acapella, Battesimo Del Fuoco somehow seamlessly transitions into The Lake South, an instrumental heavy on brass and violin (Take your best stab because I don't know the specific instruments).

Following the mysterious and carnivalesque instrumental, The Dear Hunter finally reveals its true colors in City Escape. This song rings in with a stampede of furiosity as instruments are orchestrated in crushing unison. Casey brings out the full range of his vocals in this song, forcing his unique voice upon the listeners (in the most sexual way imaginable).

The Inquiry of Ms. Terri gives your eardrums the well-needed rest after the intensity of the previous song. Well, for a short time, anyway. Starting at about 1:50 the song reverts to the epic audibles your eardrums were so recently subjected to; it's simply delightful.

1878 has a similar structure as The Inquiry of Ms. Terri in terms of alternating tempos, but with more celestial breakdowns and (what I believe) a jazzy undertone.

Moving on, The Pimp and the Priest returns to the carnivalesque sound similar to that in The Lake South, but with added versatile vocals and easy-to-follow, dark lyrics. You may need some aid in deciphering some of the earlier songs, but you're likely to follow this one along quite well.

Next in line is Hands Matched His Tongue, which starts off mellow with the acoustic guitar and Casey's voice playing over subtle background vocals and various instruments. Halfway through the song, the background sounds come to life and combine with the lead singer's voice and guitar.

The closing of the EP is very intriguing even though it's simply a piano solo. The River North is somewhat of a haunting melody, but it gives off the impression of an intermission of sorts. It's as if the band is saying there is more to come (in which case there most certainly is).

In closing, this album's cerebral vocals, alternating tempos, and intense instrumentals require your utmost attention, and I suggest you give it more than your average listen. Otherwise, I'd be forced to come to your house, pop my trunk, take out my semi-automatic typewriter, and write you a vexing letter. On second thought, it's totally up to you. No threats are being promised this early in the blog development process.

Final Verdict:

Oh, yeah. I rate albums using droplets of squid ink. That's a 4.5 if you're wondering.

P.S. Look for The Dear Hunter's new album, Migrant, coming April 2nd, 2013.