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└──┬──┘ Contriva - If You Had Stayed... └──┬──┘
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∙∙ ∙∙
∙ Quality · 192kbps/44,1kHz ·· · ·· Grabber · Eac 0.9b4 ∙
∙∙ ∙∙
∙ Mode ···· Full Stereo ·· · ·· Encoder · Lame 3.93 ∙
∙∙ ∙∙
∙∙ Source ··· CDDA ·· · · ·· ·· Label ··· Monika ∙∙
∙∙ ∙∙
∙ Tracks ·· 12 · ·· · ·· ·· Genre ··· Indie ∙
∙∙ ∙∙
∙ Release ·· 24/Jan/2003 · · · ·· ·· Retail ·· 03/Feb/2003 ∙
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· rELEASE.nOTES ·
· · · · · · · · ┘
Three years after their debut "Tell Me When" Contriva are releasing their follow
up album "If You Had Stayed". Having recorded their first lp in the seclusion of
slovakia (and this being and impressive and subserving experience), the Berlin
based band left their city and went to rural area again in order to record "If
You Had Stayed". Apart from their diverse solo activities - Masha Qrella
releasing a very convincing solo album only recently, guitarist Max Punktezahl
touring as a member of The Notwist, Hannes Lehmann and Rike Schuberty focussing
on their acting studies - all of them continue to form Contriva since 1997,
building a centre everything else is evolving around. Storytelling is still one
of the quartet's main goals without using obvious techniques such as lyrics and
actual singing. Concentrating on what is essential Contriva have found their
most conclusive "voice" so far. Guitar slides, melodious basslines as well as
tight beats build the foundation for their thoughtfulness, sometimes verging on
a kind of contemplation, The melancholy of a circling acoustic guitar, the
playfulness of organ accents and the arousement caused by the occasional
outburst of r-o-c-k all help to wipe out any notes of a self-indulgent end in
itself. Contriva knows refreshing ways to by-pass both amateurism amd boring
expertise. Contriva flow. Without words! Their music opens up rooms and niches
their listeners are free to fill in. The band remaining "mute" does not mean
they have got nothing to tell at all. On the contrary. Song titles like "Never
Shown Again", "Forget About Nightshifts" or "After Work Club" are pushing the
listener softly in the right direction. Keeping a low profile and going about
it carefully, Contriva never happen to drift out of our focus, though. They are
the centre everything else is evolving around.
http://www.monika-enterprise.de/contriva.html
Berlin's Contriva developed from a somewhat derivative post-rock band to an
electronic pop band with an identity all their own. Formed in the mid-'90s, the
group initially came together as a trio, comprising drummer Hanns Lehmann,
bassist Masha Qrella, and guitarist Max Punktezahl. In 1997, the group gained
keyboardist Rike Schuberty, and at this point made a conscious move toward
incorporating the structures of pop songs into their material. After several
low-key releases through singles and compilations, Tell Me When, their first
full-length, was released in 2000. The next year saw the release of 8 Eyes
(1996-1999), a two-disc package on Monika of their hard-to-find releases and
several remixes from the likes of Jan Jelinek, Superpitcher, Tom Thiel, and J.
Burger. Burger's remix of the group's "Next Time" was also a highlight of the
excellent 2001 compilation Teil 1, the first release on the Leichtes H÷ren label.
Andy Kellman[AMG]
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· tRACK.lIST ·
· · · · · · · · ┘
01. Never Shown Again [04:32]
02. Connected [05:12]
03. Presentiment [04:45]
04. Dust [04:52]
05. Self-Service [04:27]
06. Shadow [05:38]
07. Instead [05:18]
08. Forget About Nightshifts [01:54]
09. Deceiving Trace [04:17]
10. Pipeline [02:51]
11. After Work Club [03:55]
12. Seaside [07:24]
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tOTAL
[55:05] min
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