Some compositions have more in common with sculpture
or architecture than the notion of playing music in a band.
Music is merely the sound of vibrating air. Yet in the hands
of The Romance of Young Tigers, the shapes they pull and cast
out of their sonic field are monolithic. This is the sound
of a band with grand designs.
Not to mention reverb!
This is another of those EPs that could just have easily been called an album. At 35 minutes it clocks in at marginally longer than the last album I reviewed. With just four tracks though, you do the math. Certainly be prepared for an elongated affair.
There's a precision to these pieces as well. Signs and symptoms of an impressive, formative band with a clear idea of what they wish to accomplish. A Japanese influence here too I feel. At their most ear-splitting, our Young Tigers match the sonic howl of té, whilst during their more exploratory meandering they conjure memories of Mono.
If you can't get enough of post rock I'd imagine Romance of Young Tigers will
tick nearly every box for you. Some of my friends are already swooning to these
sounds. I'll take a slightly more sober view. This is loaded with potential,
have no doubt of that. Not only musically, but in terms of vision and ambition
I feel The Romance of Young Tigers could be the real deal. On this release
though, they don't quite hit pay dirt. I get the sense of build-up, yes. That
suggestive feeling of "something's going to happen", which of course is a delicious
feeling in itself. But it just doesn't quite happen. You're onto the next track
not quite sure what became of the previous one.
After several plays I learn to stop anticipating the revelations that would
do justice to my lofty expectations. What could I hope to find? God? The answer
to life, the universe and everything? Why we're here and what does it all mean?
Instead I get God's band – tuning up between songs. Just imagine for a moment:
however mightily interesting that would be, our thoughts would quickly turn
to "okay,
so what next?" That's The Romance of Young Tigers. They're all about
the journey, not the destination. Not right now. Right now Tantra is their
mantra. And Distortion is their middle name.
As a footnote, it'll be said by everybody I'm sure but this CD package is hand-made and one of the most beautiful I've ever had pleasure to handle. The aged paper inside is not unlike the Ltd edition of Takk. You'll be proud to own it.
|
