jackhammer

I bought the 2 disc reissue for a fiver. Money very well spent.

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Sneer

18


I've had this album for a while now. And i can safely say i havent once become tired of a single song from it.

Gospel are a band that, with this 2005 album, unleashed a brand of post-hardcore that completely blew me away on first listen. It is, in essence, lo-fi prog rock, which in itself is a compelling enough reason as to why you need to give this a listen. I dare you to find an album as relentlessy intense as this, its as if the whole album is building up to something bigger, it's a head-splatteringly heavy listen, yet also beautifully textured.

I feel the musicianship should be highlighted here. The drummer, for one, is insanely good. The band as a whole are technically masterful, its amazing listening to the instruments weaving around one another, occasionally colliding in a huge burst of aggression before dripping into an ethereal, instrumentally soft atmosphere.

There are certain songs that adhere to a more straight-forward hardcore formula, such as Paper Tigon and Redemption Fills The Emptiest of Hearts, whilst Golden Dawn is just a nine minute prog treat. Throughout the album though the bands skill and composition of the tracks just completely engrosses you.

Dense, technical and yet raw as fuck, this really is a gem of an album that, underpinned with the emotional aggression prevalent throughout the entire piece, deserves to be seen as a classic not only in its field, but generally. Probably wont be though unfortunately. They unfortunately broke up after its release but just think yourselves lucky they left this behind.

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Gareth Brown

First listen and i've enjoyed it quite alot. However, i also sense i have a definite grower on my hands here. Nice.

Molecules

just got round to checking out the Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower's Dissertation, Honey, i need loads more music like this - literate, spastic, progressive post-hardcore! The closest albums I have to this are Plague Soundscapes by the Locust and some ATDI, but that's about it. And even they don't have these amazing jazz interludes! I zaloot you sir Stu.

edit: the Kailani Amerson readings bookending the album... buenissimo!

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Alfred

Yeah, that was tight.

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swim

You should totally get Ultra Dolphins from the page before. (saw them last night, amazing.)

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Sneer

Yep Mar is excellent

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Molecules

will check them out!

On a different note I'm really anxious to see what the other albums are going to be, still quite a way to go! Chop chop, Stu

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GravitySlips

Gospel rule, shame they split up. Good work!

Sneer

17


The reasons as to why i love this album are manifold. Released in 2003, i bought it unwittingly the same year. I'll be honest, the reason i got it in the first place was the front cover and the small description the seller had stuck in the corner. I was 16 at the time, musically ignorant to an extent and head-deep in a Libertines phase. I was becoming increasingly disenchanted to the music i was listening to so thought '**** it, lets take a chance with this, might be amazing'.

When i first listened to it, i hated it. Thought it was incoherent, sloppy and uninspiring crap. It wasnt until about a year later that i really got it. I began listening to it more and more until, one fateful day, i realised it was awesome. It consequently opened me up to a whole new avenue of music i'd constantly overlooked.

Another reason why i love this is the constant shifting in mood and theme. One minute the album will linger, creep and solemnly coil around your ears, then suddenly, sometimes in the same song, it will without warning blossom into this sun-kissed, deeply joyous pop that cannot fail in bringing a smile to your face. Child Star for example has about 3 sections to it, beginning in a somewhat mournful, dark chord progression before exploding into an angst-fuelled crunch of distorted guitar based around a quiet-loud dynamic. It ends quite inexplicably in a dainty, summery twee pop as the dual vocalists coo their hatred for another. You never know what direction the music is going to take, it never bores nor becomes predictable; the band are masters in creating perfect pop songs, merging electronica with garage rock and twee pop which they then proceed in injecting with a myriad of moods, instruments and themes.

The thing about this album is you have to realise they're not altogether serious. It's basically a parody, but what came of it (I think unintentionally) are 13 tunes that not only passes as great pop rock, but can be further appreciated for its subtle irony, socio-cultural commentary and exploration into the human condition. Bottom line though, it's a fantastic listen for its assortment of musical stylizationm, uniqueness, catchy tunes, and strangely intelligent wit.

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