In Short: I definitely think this album is worth checking out if you are already into Austin’s instrumental scene (e.g. Explosions in the Sky, This Will Destroy You… etc.). Otherwise, it plays like the soundtrack to some epic film, you know… if you have an imagination like mine.
The Calm Blue Sea, as a band name, seems to sync up perfectly with the band’s sound. The allusion of the sea, as a metaphor for growing and waning of sound, is quite apropos. As an album, The Calm Blue Sea is primarily melodic. It is often led by piano and down tempo drums, but has a sense of power, just under the surface, that only occasionally gets released, usually in the form of a screaming guitar, killing any sense of quite that was experienced before. Some might not like it’s repetitive nature, but i’ve often noticed that instrumental bands use this structure as a canvas for wild solos, moments of intense distortion, or as a mechanism to build tension to be release at certain moments. I enjoyed the album front to back; primarily, because it flows well, and doesn’t seem to start or stop anywhere. While the album only has six tracks, many of them are well over seven minutes long, so there is a much more music than one might expect. I think you very well might want to go pick it up right now.
Now, I must say that it took me a long time to actually get myself to sit down and write this review, but i think it is because i am not really at a place where i can critically judge this type of instrumental music. By that i mean, everyone has that intuition when they know something is bad, but this is good music; my only problem is that i don’t really have a scale to work with. I occasionally go see an instrumental band, but i am usually busy drinking or taking pictures, something like that. I don’t really embrace the scene like a lot of other people do. Like i said earlier, to me, it plays like a soundtrack, which is great; but, i guess that points to where i get lost. Maybe i have too short of an attention span to really get into touch with the genre, or maybe i just can’t let myself listen passively enough. Regardless, if i have any issue, its has to do with the genre, not the album. I like the album. I just don’t see myself as much of an instrumental rock fan, which is another reason i need to get more into the unique scenes here in austin.
So if you’re interested, check them out october fourth at emo’s lounge.
