- Release Info -------------------------------------------------------------- -
Artist: Owls
Album: Two
Label: Polyvinyl Records
Playtime: 38:56 min
Genre: Indie
URL: http://owlschicago.com/
Rip date: 2014-03-30
Street date: 2014-03-25
Size: 70.06 MB
Type: Normal
Quality: 239 kbps / 4410Hz / Joint Stereo
- Release Notes ------------------------------------------------------------- -
Even for the most casual listener, being a fan of Owls has been a long and
arduous journey. Two is the bandÆs second album in 13 years under their
current moniker. Prior to the formation of Owls, band members Tim Kinsella,
Mike Kinsella, Victor Villarreal and Sam Zurick created the emo-punk band,
CapÆn Jazz. CapÆn Jazz disbanded in the late 1990s, and the band members
created such acts as The Promise Ring, Make Believe and Joan Of Arc. After a
CapÆn Jazz reunion tour in 2010, the band began to discuss recording another
Owls album. Slowly but surely, here we are four years later with Two.
The album begins with Four Works Of Artà (every track title has ellipsis) and
features a little over a minuteÆs worth of expert guitar work. The track is
eerie and slow moving, with the vocals working as an almost call and response.
A noticeable change in OwlsÆ music comes from the lyrics and Tim KinsellaÆs
ability to sing them. Kinsella sounds more confident than ever before. He hits
high notes with better clarity. When reflecting on the lyrics and even just
the track titles themselves, it seems Kinsella may be realizing that he has
grown up. He shows a sense of maturity in songs like IÆm Surprisedà: ôIÆm
surprised and I admit it/IÆm surprised itÆs true/to have grown up/to
become/ItÆs a man that worries his friends.ö It shows a more burdened version
of Owls that was not really present in their first album, Owls (Jade Tree,
2001).
There is also a lot more jamming going on in this record. But coming from this
band, thatÆs very good news. They are experts at their craft, and this album
allows them to flex those sonic muscles a bit. Mike Kinsella is an incredible
drummer, and he shows it with his intuitiveness and willingness to sometimes
let the drums take a backseat. Two presents a lot of extended, complex playing
that only works because these dudes know what theyÆre doing and do it well as
a team. Tracks like It Collects Itselfà and This Must Be Howà are prime
examples of that chemistry.
However, the issue on here is that not enough tracks combine both of these
two, cool, newfound elementsùKinsellaÆs vocal and lyrical growth and the
expert jamming that surfaces throughout. Alone they are great, but when they
fuse together, itÆs sonic magic, as on A Drop Of Bloodà ItÆs a must-listen,
but itÆs also the last song. There just arenÆt enough of those drops dropping
on Two.
- Track List ---------------------------------------------------------------- -
01. Four Works Of Art... ( 3:11)
02. I'm Surprised... ( 3:36)
03. The Lion... ( 2:44)
04. Why Oh Why... ( 3:35)
05. This Must Be How... ( 3:33)
06. Ancient Stars Seed... ( 4:46)
07. It Collects Itself... ( 5:42)
08. I'll Never Be... ( 3:33)
09. Oh No, Don't... ( 5:11)
10. A Drop Of Blood... ( 3:05)
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