Artist : The Pirate Ship Quintet
Album : Rope For No-Hopers
Year : 2012
Genre : Instrumental Rock
Quality : 241kbps / 44.1KHz / Joint Stereo
Source : CD
Playtime : 0h 48m
Size : 87.54mb
Label : Denovali Records
Catalognr : DEN134
Tracklist:
01. You're Next 11:44
02. Horse Manifesto 7:25
03. Dennis Many Times 10:46
04. That Girl I Used To Live In 8:17
05. Doldrums 10:04
Releasenotes:
Has it really been that long since The Pirate Ship Quintetæs self-titled debut
EP? Six years is long enough for entire industries to change, and in terms of
taste and technology, they have. Over the past few years, the band has
sporadically toured, coasting on the strength of the first three songs they
committed to wax û songs that continue to stand up well today. (Denovali will
be re-releasing the debut EP alongside the new project.) öLost Scienceö in
particular remains a classic û the piano, the trumpet, the cello, the epic
build, the clash of guitars, the crescendo. Would The Pirate Ship Quintet be
able to recapture its audience in a similar way six years later? Would it still
be considered the hope of an industry?
Like many groups that dabble or delve into post-rock, The Pirate Ship Quintet
doesnÆt seem to care about categories or labels. The lead story on ôRope for
No-Hopersö (suicide prevention centers will not be pleased) is the addition of
vocals: shredding, screaming vocals in the post-metal vein, largely devoid of
note or identifiable word. While IÆm not a fan of these vocals, they donÆt pop
up everywhere, and they possess an undeniable power. Hearing them is like
hearing an additional guitar plugged into a cheaper, louder amp. In the final
minute of ôPirate Shipö (from the EP), the pre-echoes can be heard; in
retrospect, the shift is not as unexpected as one might imagine. And yet, one
wonders what The Pirate Ship Quintet is so angry about. Is it the equine
apocalypse mentioned in the press release? Last yearÆs London riots? The more
typical (but understandable) angst at the end of a relationship?
While the band continues to be comfortable in the 10-minute format, the opener
almost reaches the 12-minute mark and is entirely instrumental. Like ôLost
Scienceö, it eases the listener in, this time with cello and acoustic guitar.
When the expected crescendoes emerge, it becomes apparent that The Pirate Ship
Quintet is still on top of its game, although no longer ahead of the curve. Yet
this matters little when a band is still ahead of its contemporaries in talent.
This band knows how to shift mood as easily as texture, when to hold back and
when to go all-out; and the composition is as good as the performance. öYouÆre
Nextö is one of the best post-rock tracks of the year, even if one doesnÆt call
it post-rock; and the closing three minutes of ôDoldrumsö, in which the strings
take sole possession of the stage, are as sublime as any those found in any
classical recording.
The screaming doesnÆt start until three minutes into the second track û roughly
a third of the album û and it doesnÆt last long (although it returns later). An
8-note cello breakdown and the return of the trumpet are better reasons to
appreciate the song. But as the album continues to unfold and these elements
continue to clash, listeners will be challenged to form an opinion. Do I like
this? If not, can I stand this? Was this what I expected? Was it worth the
wait? Were my expectations too high?
Perhaps we did put too much on The Pirate Ship Quintet, just as we did on Yndi
Halda (and where is your album, boys?). In our rush to find The Next Big Thing,
we ignored an obvious gift: A Good Thing Now. And The Pirate Ship Quintet
continues to be A Good Thing Now. Their audience may be shifting û post-rock to
post-metal, instrumental to screamo û but it would be hypocritical for us to ask
artists to try new things and then to slam them for it. We prefer instrumental
û thatÆs us. But we also recognize quality in different forms û and thatÆs The
Pirate Ship Quintet.
(Richard Allen, acloserlisten.com)
http://www.thepirateshipquintet.com/