Thrice- The Alchemy Index Vol. III & IV: Air & Earth (*****)

Whenever bands break apart their releases, they worry me.

It’s one thing to take in a huge body at work all at once, but breaking it up points out the similarities between them, often making fans resent the fact that these songs were part of the same song cycle. Remember the welcome reception that Guns N’ Roses Use Your Illusion I & II garnered and what System Of A Down’s Mesmerize and Hypnotize received? And people STILL felt the Illusion albums were indulgent.

Luckily, Thrice has avoided this pitfall with all their works being so different as of late.

With the concluding chapters of The Alchemy Index finally seeing the light of day, the question of whether or not Thrice could do all these sounds and styles justice is instantly dashed away. The first disc we’re treated to is the band’s take on Air, something I was most curious about when they unveiled the project. And rather than strongly relying on a specific set of instruments, such as keyboards for Water or acoustic for the Earth disc, Thrice decide to rely on dynamics to best illustrate Air’s feel.

“Broken Lungs” was a perfect choice to lead of the disc, balancing climbing guitar lines with flattening distortion. Teppei Taranishi’s melodies swirl and grow, as if caught in an updraft before slamming back down to the ground. The music on Air draws inspiration from the freedom the element possesses in movement, creating very contrasting sounds on record. This quality makes possibly makes Air the most interesting disc of the entire collection to sink your headphones into.

The band opts to marry frantic break beats, chimes, and synthesizer lines to all at once create expansive but delicate sounds. The heart wrenching “A Song For Milly Michaelson” is supported by a clean guitar line and rich keyboards over Dustin Kensrue’s whispered and dry vocals. The way Riley Breckenridge’s percussion drops out letting the thick soundscape take over is truly a stroke of brilliance. It’s all at once tender, while channeling that feeling of endlessness that perfectly embodies the qualities of Air.

Yet, one of great draws to the disc is Kensrue’s storytelling. For both discs presented in this installment of The Alchemy Index are heavy on Kenrue’s ability to jump into the rich storytelling he flirted with on the first two volumes. The jazzy and climbing “Daedalus” features Kensrue exploring the tale of Icarus falling back to earth as his father watches the entire event unfold. It’s dramatic and jarring, while the track musically soars and plummets alongside the story.

And the story to conclude the Air’s exploration is “Silver Wings,” a track that marries fluttering electronics with dense chimes, keyboards, and the most stunning vocal delivery on the entire collection. The track employs Kensrue’s delay soaked, breathy delivery that gives the track a sense of fullness and warmth. With all these shimmering sounds, Knesure simply laments “And after all of this/I am amazed/That I am cursed far more/Than I am praised...”

So with the soaring heights of Air reached, the band opts to segue into Earth for a drastically different feel than the rest of the entire collection. While every other song on The Alchemy Index has been about meticulously crafting detailed and rich sounds, Earth attempts to strive for sparseness. Nearly all the instruments on the final disc are acoustic, with the band focusing on a lot of piano and rattled percussion. And with most of these tracks recorded in a living room with a hardwood floor, Kensrue’s voice bounces quite a bit.

That being said, the sinister “Digging My Own Grave” feels like an old jazz number you might find in the seediest pub in town. The gothic tinged piano line supported by Eddie Breckenridge’s warm bass, alongside dry hand snaps, really strikes a dark chord right off the bat. It’s slinky, slithery, and above all primal until the chorus of “And ohhh/Don’t I knooow/ I’m just digging my own/Graaaave…” erupts in fullness.

There’s a medieval quality to Earth that the other volumes don’t quite delve into. Perhaps it’s the feel of warmth that permeates the tracks, or the fact that its reliance on folk influences make it feel older than the other songs, but there’s certainly a tribal atmosphere to the entirety of Earth. “The Earth Isn’t Humming” illustrates this best with scratchy acoustic guitars and Kensrue’s worn wail. Junkyard percussion, provided by Breckenridge, rounds out the number nicely, giving it a sense of a tradition and heaviness.

Elsewhere, the gloomy piano ballad of “The Lion & The Wolf” evokes images of the most violent fairy tale imaginable. The cyclical way Kensrue ties the two animals is as beautiful as it is haunting, painting a tale of futility as well as realism. It’s incredibly interesting to note that for having the softest instruments on the collection, the Earth disc sports some of the heaviest feeling tracks on the collection. Perhaps that weight was a conscious decision to help embody the element. If it is, it worked.

The one time the band opts to blend electric instruments is on the single “Come All You Weary.” The bluesy guitar licks backed by a full drum kit and large vocal harmonies, best embodies their folk influences in this garish campfire tale. It’s the biggest sounding track on the Earth disc, even if it might be the most personal. And as the disc draws to a close with the funeral march of “Child Of Dust,” the band’s voices chanting, “Now safe beneath their wisdom/And their feet/Here I will teach you truly/How to sleep…” are covered up by sounds of shovels moving the earth, burying them in the final element.

And at long last, Thrice’s opus comes to a close. The Alchemy Index was a project that was initially met with mixed reactions, but all that proves is that some ideas sound crazy on paper rather than carried out. Thrice has ultimately created a 4 disc work that is concise, expansive, and above all, fully realized. The band has been able to tap into something really pure and set incredible music pieces to these ideas, expanding their sonic pallet to incorporate nearly any song style of their choice.

And while every disc is different, they’ve made them incredibly dependent on the other. Hopefully, this will grant them with a legacy that matches the heights that The Alchemy Index has achieved.

Sounds Like: Talkie Walkie (Air), Bone Machine (Tom Waits), The Joshua Tree (U2)

Key Air Cuts: A Song For Milly Michaelson, Daedalus, Silver Wings

Key Earth Cuts: Digging My Own Grave, The Lion & The Wolf, Come All You Weary

My $0.02: Amazon's clip of "Pork & Beans" by Weezer

If you've been following this blog even in the slightest, you will know one simple fact.

I. Love. Weezer.

More so than the average fan. Sure, I'm not one of those that's obsessed with the hidden map inlay of Pinkerton, and I don't own a copy of Video Capture Device, but I'm the first one to defend this band whenever people attempt to call them out on being anything else besides a great power-pop band. As such, their follow-up to 2005's Make Believe can't come soon enough. Their affectionately titled, Weezer (The Red Album), comes out on June 17th and it's easily one of my most anticipated releases slated for this year.

So you can imagine my joy when Amazon.com posted this clip of the new single "Pork & Beans."

This intrigues me on a plethora of levels. For one, the last time Weezer dropped a self-titled record, it followed a period of great anxiety and self-consciousness on how the band would proceed after Pinkerton's supposed failure. It was a conscious refinement of the best parts of their sound, even if it lacked depth. Yet the rumors circulating around The Red Album's release are anything but a back to basics approach. Cuomo has alluded to a diverse album this time around, siting experimentation of different musical styles as well as different band members contributing to songwriting and lead vocals. And with heavy weights like Rick Rubin and Jackknife Lee handling production, one has to wonder what Weezer is refining this time around and not pushing forward.

And unlike the other 30 second previews I've indulged in, "Pork & Beans" does tell us quite a bit. For one, it feels like the band has at least captured the spirit of their 1994 classic, Weezer (The Blue Album) on at least one track. The fuzzy, thick rhythm recalls radio staples like "Buddy Holly" or "Jamie" and the cascading backing harmonies make us remember Matt Sharp and all his glory. And while using 30 seconds to delve into anything is nearly impossible, it does offer a substantial amount of hope for a band with very fickle fans.

And when you think about it...

How could a motley crew like this let anyone down?

Live: Panic(!) At The Disco/Motion City Soundtrack/The Hush Sound/Phantom Planet @ The Warfield 4/11

The Warfield is the last place I expect to see an inundation of 14 year old girls, their parents, and all manner of people smeared with eyeliner and puffy shirts.

Still, it makes sense that The Honda Civic Tour attracts such a variety of people to some of the seediest parts of Market St. in San Francisco. Bands like Panic (!) At The Disco, Motion City Soundtrack, The Hush Sound and Phantom Planet all at once embody thick melodies and nimble use of keyboards to get this eclectic bunch of people screaming their throats raw.

Arriving late, and standing in line for a t-shirt, I could only crane my ears to Phantom Planet rifle through their short set list. What I heard was some foreshadowing for the evening: the band could not replicate their record. Back when The O.C. was the buzz, EVERYONE sung along to “California.” And overhearing it sung live, you could tell that Pro Tools laced Alex Greenwald’s recorded self on their biggest single. His voice struggled live, pushing to reach that upper register that seemed so effortless on the album. It’s a shame, because while I never particularly cared for Phantom Planet, I assumed their live sound was akin to their recorded self.

So with ambivalence, I made my way to the balcony, t-shirt in hand, and found my seat for The Hush Sound.

One of my favorite experiences is seeing a band live, and being utterly compelled to download their material as soon as I get home. The Hush Sound fits into this category quite snugly. While poorly lit, the band ran through their set list with what I assume can only be a mix of their 3 studio albums. The standout was easily the cabaret infused “Molasses” where pianist Greta Salpeter used her luxuriously rich voice to seduce and pull the audience in. Elsewhere, guitarist Bob Morris provided just enough abusive guitar work to compliment the intricate piano work. As a whole, the band sounded tight, turning their time signature’s on a time and really illuminating the great acoustics The Warfield has to offer.

In the midst of strike and set up for what would be the night’s finest hour, I found myself truly hating teeny bopper fans. I’m sure it goes without saying, but when their screaming becomes too loud that it drops out all your hearing, heads should truly role. The only thing that kept that from happening was the gorgeous woman climbing the stairs to sell over priced candy and glow-sticks to idiots.

Oh Candy Girl…how sweet you were.

ANYWAY, the highlight of night was most definitely Motion City Soundtrack’s stellar performance. Taking the stage amidst synthesizer squiggles, the massive clod of hair that is lead singer Justin Pierre helped lead his band through an energetic and passionate set. Relaying mostly on material from last year’s Even If It Kills Me, and their big singles, Motion City had the crowd eating out of its hand. Tracks like the self-depreciating “L.G. FUAD” to the Cars inspired “This Is For Real” balanced the best of their power-pop tendencies with spastic keyboards. Drummer Tony Thaxton more than pulled his weight, throwing out what felt like endless drum rolls that aided the blistering numbers like “Fell In Love Without You.” The band sounded flawless, with Pierre hitting his incredibly high notes as well as well sounding far sharper and energetic than their recorded counterparts. After thanking the kind audience after every single song, the band closed with the fan favorite “The Future Freaks Me Out,” successfully getting the entire Warfield to “bust a move” alongside them.

And Motion City’s reckless passion truly made them the stars that night.

In fact, their punchy performance outshined headliners, Panic(!) At The Disco, with fantastic style. While the Vegas quartet (augmented by a touring keyboardist) put on a decent performance, the white noise shrieks of aforementioned teeny boppers made it a difficult experience to fully enjoy. Coupled with the over indulgent stage set up that acted more as a billboard for Pretty. Odd., the band played a set half comprised of their debut album and their sophomore release.

Yet it was at this moment where the foreshadowing became the present, for the plain simple truth is that Brendon Urie cannot reach his range in a live setting.

While his infectious singing on “Nine In The Afternoon” and smash hit “I Write Sins, Not Tradgies” is a far cry from band mate Ryan Ross’ delivery, some of the older material really lost it’s appeal with Urie’s lower register. Still, it was a decent performance if a bit uneven. While they slugged through many of Pretty. Odd.’s weakest tracks like “Mad As Rabbits,” they did throw in some curve balls for fans. Urie actually began the band’s encore with an acoustic version of the Palahniuk inspired “Time To Dance” while “The Only Difference Between Martyrdom And Suicide Is Press Coverage” was as twisting and caustic as it’s studio version.

But the main problem with Panic(!)’s set was the fact that the dance oriented material they performed off A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out didn’t not come across as dancey. The abrasive guitars gave the tracks more of a biting feel and taking away atmosphere from some of the more electronic heavy songs. This actually benefited the Pretty. Odd. material, but only insamuch as Pretty. Odd. is a more traditional rock record to begin with. The live setting actually lent itself to the tender ballad “Northern Downpour” and the old timey “I’ve Got Friends In Holy Places.” Who knew?

In the end, I suppose Panic(!) At The Disco chose wisely in their supporting acts but completely lost it when it came across to recreating their record for an audience. They instead reveled in flashing lights, flower-child inspired stage set-up.

Then again, I suppose if you have hundreds of screaming 14 year olds that want to ravage your slender, guy-liner frame, you don’t need to impress someone like me.

(***½)

My $0.02: Remembering Kurt Cobain

Today marks 14 years since Kurt Cobain was found dead in his apartment.

14 years ago puts me at age 6, and I couldn’t even begin to tell you what I remember about that day. Cobain wasn’t a spokesperson for my generation either. Being born in 1987 puts me worlds away from Cobain with only his recordings to bridge the gap. However, I do think about it because with my life depending so much on music now, it seems rather appropriate to muse on such things.

But I guess I think about him today because he represented the last big shift in contemporary rock.

You can say Cobain was sloppy musician, that he ripped off the Meat Puppets, The Beatles, and anyone else under the sun. It’s also easy to take pot shots at his drugged up wife, and his erratic behavior that hampered live shows.

But the one thing that Cobain excelled at was honest songwriting, and being the forbearer of something different in rock music. And when Nirvana ushered in grunge, it was more than just a fad that died out.

It was a force to be reckoned with; caustically blaring from every radio and CD player, stating that rock didn’t have to be perfectly constructed. Sometimes, it was about the passion, the messiness, and shear force with which the music hit you. It wasn’t about constructing an image, so much as it was deconstructing trends.

While I’m sure there will be bands that are remembered from my generation, they’ll never have this impact that Cobain had.

I could name bands like Thursday, Radiohead, and The Red Hot Chili Peppers as all being incredibly innovative artists in their own right. Perhaps in Thursday’s case, they’re the Nirvana that never was, laying the ground work for a sound that was exploited by so many so quickly while they were never really commended for it.

And ultimately, it’s sad to think they’re might not be another Nirvana, Cobain, or huge shift in rock like there was in 1991. That fear of stagnancy makes me wonder if there will ever be another shift like that.

In the end, I guess I don’t think too much about Cobain today, but more about what he stood for. Even if he hated the pedestal people put him on, they put him on there for good reason. His contribution was less about craft, but more about ideas and passion. I suppose it’s just a shame that Cobain died never really feeling comfortable with people confusing the two and holding him up like they did.

Just like it's a shame, that something like this didn't hit me when I was 6.