Entry #: 0004
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synthwave
Artist: Carpenter Brut
Country of Origin: France
Album: Trilogy (EP 1, EP 2, EP 3)
Year of Release: 2015 (2012, 2013, 2015)
Notes: Ok a couple of things. This album is actually a compilation of all three of Carpenter Brut’s EPs. I will be reviewing them all in one post due to me listening to them via the Trilogy album. Carpenter Brut is another one of the recommendations from Kiiii and Chiomara so this review is “sponsored” by them. The only real background I have for this guy is that he was played a couple of times in plug. I dug it then, and spoiler alert: I dig it now.
Impressions:
This one is kind of all over the place. The three EPs sort of have a distinct flow that is unique to them. They kind of work smashed together as one long album, but I would much rather review them separately and then give one final score for Trilogy. I’ll start with a few general thoughts and then I will dive deep into the three EPs. First and foremost, It seems to me that the overall style of these EPs are very different between each other. They flow well on their own, but sound very much like a compilation when put together. Not a bad thing, just something I noticed. This album seems to have a lot of progressive tendencies. The live drumming and guitar parts definitely add to the mix, as I will explain later on. I really did not hate anything, but there were a few I found a little redundant when it came to what I have already heard in the genre.
Alright let's get started with EP 1.
This one is kind of a mixed bag when it comes to overall quality. I found about half the disc to be decent and the other half to be really good. Tracks like Escape from Midwich Valley, and Wake up the President fall into a little cliche territory with the way things are mixed. Decent enough sound, just I have seen other electronic artists do the same thing at about the same level. There is a mix of the chilled vibes of Mitch Murder, and the fast paced soaring melodies of Perturbator. Sometimes the mix works in tracks like Disco Zombi Italia, and 347 Midnight Demons (a personal highlight from the whole set). A lot of what Carpenter Brut is doing here feels solid. I kind of wish he added a little more experimentation or something different to the mix. Songs like Le Perve and L.A. Venice Bitch 80s are really close to being fantastic but settle to just being solid. It's a good start overall and It makes me want to explore more of what this guy has got to offer.
Now for EP 2
This is where it really gets good. I feel like on this EP, Brut gets into a groove and he never falls out. Seriously this disc is just hit after hit after hit. I especially loved the synth prowess on tracks like Meet Matt Stryker, and Hang ‘em All. The drumming is excellent on a lot of these tracks as well. I really dig the stuff off of tracks like Sexkiller on the Loose. The live drumming just really brings the tracks to new life. Obituary is probably the most chilled out from the bunch. It reminds me a lot of what Mitch Murder was doing with his more chilled out stuff. I love it alot. Really the lack of world building the first two EPs have shown really surprise me. There isn’t really a time or place that I can connect to any of these songs. It bothers me a little but it isn’t a dealbreaker for any of these songs really. Roller Mobster and Looking for Tracy Tzu would be the lowlights of this disc. They are great tracks, but I’m not feeling as excited when I listen to them. Overall this is easily the best of the three EPs, not a dud in the bunch on this one.
And finally EP 3
This one has probably the best song on the Trilogy compilation and the worst song. Paradise Warfare is a killer track. Progressive, heavy at times, the drumming is top notch. Everything I could not ask for anything more. This is probably the first time on this compilation where I started to feel some world building going on. Division Ruine (another excellent piece) leading into Paradise Warfare allows for Brut’s world to come into view. Sunsetting, a city in the distance, something similar to the cover art mostly. Now I did mention that this EP had the worst track out of all of them. That one would be Invasion A.D. It just feels redundant to me. He doesn’t really do anything new with this track compared to others. The chilled out moments feel rather boring compared to tracks like Obituary from the second EP. Overall though, the quality of the third EP is just under that of the second. Anarchy Road, Turbo Killer, and Run, Sally, Run! all round out the EP with solid groovy and fast paced synth work.
Overall, on an individual level these EPs are great. They all have a bit of uniqueness to them. It’s like watching an athlete improve over three seasons in a sport, the quality of play keeps going up and it’s exciting to watch (or listen to). As a whole though the Trilogy compilation accomplishes a mighty feat. While not necessarily flowing as well as a studio album per se, it provides a fantastic look into the mind of a growing warrior of the synth. This is the culmination of growth and hard work. It is about the music for this guy and I love that. I hope to hear more of his work in the future.
Initial Score: Trilogy receives an
8.2 out of
10
Standout Tracks: 347 Midnight Demons, Le Perve, Meet Matt Stryker, Obituary, Hang ‘em All, Division Ruine, Paradise Valley
Weaker Tracks: Wake up the President, Invasion A.D.
A little shorter on the overall thoughts of each track for this one. Just the sheer amount of content I needed to cover in a single post forced me to cut down a bit. I would be happy to discuss these further with anyone who wishes to. Thanks for reading, and I hope for those of you that are new to the genre like myself, will give this guy a shot.