Astral - Orchids (c) 2003 Astralmusic
Artist....: Astral
Album.....: Orchids
Type......: Album
Source....: CDDA
Tracks....: 10
Genre.....: Indie
Label.....: Astralmusic
Catalogue#: MLP01
Encoder...: LAME 3.97
Quality...: VBR kbps / 44.1KHz / Joint-Stereo
URL.......: http://www.discogs.com/release/814141
Tracklist:
----------
01 Barreling 03:09
02 Blinder 04:36
03 In Heaven 03:22
04 Under Lock And Key 03:56
05 Turn Me Around 02:41
06 Slumber 04:55
07 Orchids 03:02
08 Last Light 04:06
09 Raining Down 03:08
10 Forbidden Kiss 05:19
Total:53,3 MB / 38:14 min
Release Notes:
--------------
Formed in 2000, this American trio claims to have their roots in bands
like My Bloody Valentine and Joy Division, we could also add that we
have the impression to listen to the best moments of Whispers in The
Shadows, ôIn Heavenö, Slowdive, or Puressence featuring Robert Smith.
This long list of influences comes from this specific melancholic dark
wave guitar sound sometimes furious and sometimes melancholic, a strong
bass line and a ôdryö voice. The Astral have a good sound and so it's
not surprising to know that they have scored most of the rock festival
beyond the Atlantic. A record to extend maybe your musical horizon.
At first, Orchids seems like the work of a band with a severe Cure
obsession. Astral frontman Dave Han's voice sounds more than a little
like Robert Smith's, and he applies it to moody, atmospheric music,
creating songs that wouldn't have sounded out of place a decade or two
ago. Opener "Barreling" is exactly the sort of urgent rock that Smith
and company created at their best, while "In Heaven" is imbued with the
Cure's distinctively wistful romanticism.
As the album progresses, though, little things seep in that make it
apparent that Astral is more than just a Cure cover band, and other
influences make themselves apparent. There are definitely traces of Joy
Division (the band proudly trumpets this on their web site) and the
Smiths sprinkled throughout Orchids, while the band's love of feedback
suggests that Han has logged a few hours with My Bloody Valentine in
the player.
As these undercurrents bubble along below Orchids's surface, it's hard
to pinpoint the exact moment when the other influences blossom into
full view.
It's not until well into the disc that the breadth of Astral's ambition
becomes obvious. Han's vocals ensure that the Cure remains the most
obvious reference point, but the way the guitar creates and sustains a
mood makes it just as easy to think of Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet.
Similarly, the title track gallops along like a space-age western --
Gunsmoke as re-envisioned by Jason Pierce. On these songs, Han's
bandmates' skill becomes apparent: drummer Shawn Poh propels each song
forward at a vigorous clip, and Amy Rosenoff's basslines give the music
a druggy, spaced-out feel.
Obviously, for music with such retro-leaning reference points,
"refreshing" isn't quite the right descriptor. At the same time, it's
quite appropriate. Rather than blatantly pillaging another band's
style, as so many of today's trendiest groups have done, Astral
assemble their sound from carefully chosen classic components.