Northern Abbey - Northern Abbey

Source

Track Listing:

1. Catacombs

2. Wayward Village

3. Paintings

Yep, that's it for the track listing. You'll finally be spared my long-winded, senseless ramblings that are usually incapable of being interpreted.

While perusing the depths of the internet (Don't worry. I didn't go too far down the rabbit hole) I happened upon an interesting sound. After much investigation (I looked to the top of the page), I found the source of the harmonic resonance to be that of Northern Abbey's self-titled EP.

Now, there isn't much that I could find out about this band/project, but it was intriguing enough to write a review on it despite it's extremely short composition. However, it's a complex, refreshing, and cinematic experience despite the length.

This experimental EP was written and produced by Nick Lambert of Falling Up. Jordan Wood contributed the drums, bass, stomps, and claps while Eric Stanwell played the violin and cello. Jessy Ribordy, also a member of Falling Up and The River Empires, engineered and mixed the EP while too contributing to the claps and stomps. And, it seems as though Wikipedia is slacking because that is literally all I could find out about the band. Anyway, onward to the track breakdown!

The album begins with Catacombs which is a complex and celestial track. The song leads in with a delayed yet soothing piano while electronic influences accompany it soon after. Lambert introduces his voice about a minute in and continues with very repetitive lyrics. Despite the monotonous melody, his vocals are extremely euphonious and most certainly add to the beauty and allure of the track. However, the song does pull a M. Night Shyamalan at 3 minutes and 45 second. The listeners are lead to believe the song is over as it breaks off into silence, but after waiting 25 more seconds, a strange static tapping interrupts the dead air and an explosion of distorted, electronic instrumentals finish the track out.

Following Catacombs is the classical instrumental, Wayward Village. This song is introduced by a sharp violin that is then accompanied by the light plucking of cello strings. A minute in, a piano joins the two and blends in seamlessly with the melody. Two thirds of the way into the song, the classical theme is transformed by the addition of a bass and drum with heavy metal influences which then leads the track to its finality. It's a very interesting take on classical music regardless of the track's length and simplicity.

And last, but not least—in fact most, for that matter—is Paintings. This song finally gives Lambert's vocals some credit. His voice is carried through a ballroom echo (I just made that term up, but it sounds intelligent and makes sense in my mind) and holds a relatively high octave. It's a pretty bare track in terms of its instrumental expansiveness, but the acoustic guitar and slightly oriental influences mix to add a surreal and soothing sound. The track finishes the EP leaving the listener feeling calm yet craving more.

This orchestral album carries an intriguing melody and a few surprises that captivates the audience. It's a short EP, but the complexity and original choice of instruments cannot be overlooked. Although the vocals are repetitive, their unique resonance helps them hold their ground among the instrumentals. In my opinion, Northern Abbey gives you a taste that leaves a lingering appetite. I hope that the band continues this endeavor and releases a longer EP or album in the near future because it's definitely gained my attention.

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: