ARTiST: Babel
TiTLE: Pearl Street Raga
LABEL: People Tree Records
GENRE: Indie
TiME: 28:19 min
SiZE: 29,7 MB
BiTRATE: VBRkbps
RiP DATE: Sep-05-2007
RELEASE DATE: Sep-10-2007
WEBSiTE: n/a
Track List:
01. Pearl Street Raga 02:56
02. Disarm 04:39
03. Daylight Lost 03:11
04. Shangri La 03:55
05. Tell Me It's Love 04:18
06. Rain 03:26
07. My Cup Is Running Iver 05:54
Release Notes:
Babel is going to be a band that is seriously going
to cross borders. Probably in the geographical
sense, but more importantly is their likelihood to
appeal to a diverse range of music fans û the young
whippersnappers who love the textures of Arcade Fire
but not the theatrics, the indie kids with their
penchant for anthemic vocals, the older leftfield
folk fans who enjoy a quirky lyric or two.
The title track is the album opener and the first
taste of a rousing guitar part which will continue
to resonate across the entire album. The strings are
struck, as opposed to caressed, the metal swaying to
such a degree that it is only likely the guitarists
fingers are bleeding. And hopefully so, as that
would seem appropriate in the light of the warnings
and sense of foreboding singer and songsmith, Danny
Coughlan, is alluding to: æCareful what you swallow
/ it may leave you hollow.Æ
Violinist Ben has the incredible ability to sound as
though he has simultaneously studied classical
violin and folk fiddle. The warm vibrato speaks
loudly of aching wrists under a teacherÆs hawk eye
whilst the flashy bowing and ornaments are likely to
get even the coolest audience member tapping along.
Track number two, æDisarmÆ, begins with a
frighteningly Snow Patrol sounding introduction.
Thankfully, the listener is treated to DannyÆs warm
vocals and soaring counter melodies from the string
section which come together to create a blissfully
sincere sumptuous texture. ThereÆs a constant
feeling of foreboding again, though, from that same
guitar and a climax is suspected.
The strings continue to rise and the drums quicken
but there is no end in sight. Again, the riff soars
and breaks down, string tremolos and fragile vocals
raising tension. But there is no climax, no
explosion, and the whole effect is surprisingly
serene as if the listener knew that all along.
The highlight by far, though, is track four,
æShangri La.Æ Usually the ballad of the album is
only enjoyed when the listener is in a particular
mood, and it is the boot-stomping fiddle solos which
are timeless, placeless and mood-less. æShangri LaÆ
might use familiar chords, might be incredibly
simple but is also wonderfully reflective and
nostalgic.
You know how the lyrics in the opening track warned
us about feeling hollow? Well, this does. æShangri
LaÆ has the ability to bring tears to your eyes,
sadness to your heart and a feeling that you canÆt
quite shake for approximately an hour after
digestion.