SoundSnobbing








  • Week #8 Russian Circles - Geneva Selected by Jason Overall Score: 9.0 ______________________________________________________________________________ Marcus’s Review: Creativity/Artistry: 10Talent/Instrument Skill: 9Structure/ Composition: 10Replayability: 7Growth/ Maturity:10 Average: 9.2 Comment: Anytime I get an enthusiastic recommendation from Jason for a particular band, I pay attention. Its just the way it has always been. Amazed that this is a threesome. I read they have opened for Tool, man what a great show that would be. Amazing technical skills on drums, bass, guitar. They use a lot of loop tools, sampling and effects to provide some of the ethereal sounds from song to song when they play them live. You would think this would be hard to pull off, but… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmOR1I2Q-OI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxA27XAISzQ&feature=related This clips may even be better than what I heard on the most recent album. Can those drums sound any more perfect? Nothing sounds lacking to me. I’m so glad they don’t have a vocalist. I think there is about a 95% chance it would have ruined it if they did. Best Songs: “Harper Lewis” (link above) & “Hexed All” ______________________________________________________________________________ Jason’s Review: Creativity/Artistry: 8Talent/Instrument Skill: 9Structure/ Composition: 10Replayability: 8Growth/ Maturity:10 Average: 9.0 Comment: I’ve known about these guys for a while, and I’m pissed at myself for not listening to them until now, especially considering I played with the drummer in bands back in the mid-late 90s, and their bass player was in Botch. Instrumental and experimental structured noise rock from Chicago. I’ve heard stuff like this before in bands like Pelican, Isis and Trans Am, which is why I give it a little less on the creativity scale, but Russian Circles’ brand of instrumental rock has come along at the perfect time for my current musical tastes. There are some severely thunderous parts in this record. I will be seeking out their previous releases asap. Best Songs: “Geneva” & “Malko” ________________________________________________________________________________ Sara’s Review: Creativity/Artistry: 10Talent/Instrument Skill: 9Structure/ Composition: 10Replayability: 8Growth/ Maturity:9 Average: 9.2 Comment:  Wow. I liked this album within 2 minutes of listening. Is that presumptious you may ask? Maybe.. but I don’t give a shit. WTF? Am I listening to an amazing and powerful instrumental album, or am I planning a Secret Ops Mission which shall result in me dropping stealth-like from a rooftop in the black of night with my sidearm and big fkin knife? Hell yes bitches. I can say no more. Just listen. Words are not even necessary. Best Songs: “Geneva” & “Malko” ______________________________________________________________________________ Alex’s Review: Creativity/Artistry: 8Talent/Instrument Skill: 10Structure/ Composition: 9Replayability: 8Growth/ Maturity: 8 Average: 8.6 Comment: This band reminds me of a mixture of Explosions in the SKy and Sigur Ros…but with a Metal twist.  The music is dark and heavy…but nothing over the top (which is good).  It took me a few listens to really start to like it because I feel like there should be some singing/screaming involved but I suppose that’s what makes them who they are. Best Songs: “Fathom”, “Geneva” ______________________________________________________________________________

    Week #8

    Russian Circles - Geneva

    Selected by Jason

    Overall Score: 9.0

    ______________________________________________________________________________

    Marcus’s Review:

    Creativity/Artistry: 10
    Talent/Instrument Skill: 9
    Structure/ Composition: 10
    Replayability: 7
    Growth/ Maturity:10

    Average: 9.2

    Comment: Anytime I get an enthusiastic recommendation from Jason for a particular band, I pay attention. Its just the way it has always been. Amazed that this is a threesome. I read they have opened for Tool, man what a great show that would be. Amazing technical skills on drums, bass, guitar. They use a lot of loop tools, sampling and effects to provide some of the ethereal sounds from song to song when they play them live. You would think this would be hard to pull off, but…

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmOR1I2Q-OI

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxA27XAISzQ&feature=related

    This clips may even be better than what I heard on the most recent album. Can those drums sound any more perfect? Nothing sounds lacking to me. I’m so glad they don’t have a vocalist. I think there is about a 95% chance it would have ruined it if they did.

    Best Songs: “Harper Lewis” (link above) & “Hexed All”

    ______________________________________________________________________________

    Jason’s Review:

    Creativity/Artistry: 8
    Talent/Instrument Skill: 9
    Structure/ Composition: 10
    Replayability: 8
    Growth/ Maturity:10

    Average: 9.0

    Comment: I’ve known about these guys for a while, and I’m pissed at myself for not listening to them until now, especially considering I played with the drummer in bands back in the mid-late 90s, and their bass player was in Botch. Instrumental and experimental structured noise rock from Chicago. I’ve heard stuff like this before in bands like Pelican, Isis and Trans Am, which is why I give it a little less on the creativity scale, but Russian Circles’ brand of instrumental rock has come along at the perfect time for my current musical tastes. There are some severely thunderous parts in this record. I will be seeking out their previous releases asap.

    Best Songs: “Geneva” & “Malko”

    ________________________________________________________________________________

    Sara’s Review:

    Creativity/Artistry: 10
    Talent/Instrument Skill: 9
    Structure/ Composition: 10
    Replayability: 8
    Growth/ Maturity:9

    Average: 9.2

    Comment:  Wow. I liked this album within 2 minutes of listening. Is that presumptious you may ask? Maybe.. but I don’t give a shit. WTF? Am I listening to an amazing and powerful instrumental album, or am I planning a Secret Ops Mission which shall result in me dropping stealth-like from a rooftop in the black of night with my sidearm and big fkin knife? Hell yes bitches.

    I can say no more. Just listen. Words are not even necessary.

    Best Songs: “Geneva” & “Malko”

    ______________________________________________________________________________

    Alex’s Review:

    Creativity/Artistry: 8
    Talent/Instrument Skill: 10
    Structure/ Composition: 9
    Replayability: 8
    Growth/ Maturity: 8

    Average: 8.6

    Comment: This band reminds me of a mixture of Explosions in the SKy and Sigur Ros…but with a Metal twist.  The music is dark and heavy…but nothing over the top (which is good).  It took me a few listens to really start to like it because I feel like there should be some singing/screaming involved but I suppose that’s what makes them who they are.

    Best Songs: “Fathom”, “Geneva”

    ______________________________________________________________________________

    Posted 2 years ago.