In April RAW RAMP wrote that the Pineapple Thief frontman, Bruce Soord, along with Jonas Renkse, the lead vocalist from Katatonia had announced a release date for their ‘Wisdom of Crowds‘ project via Kscope.
Originally written with Renkse’s voice in mind, Soord sought out the acclaimed Katatonia vocalist to complete the compositions and release the music to the masses. Despite the rigorous schedules of The Pineapple Thief and Katatonia, the two musicians were eventually able to connect.
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We have now had a chance to listen to the album. Here’s what we thought:
Perhaps inspired by the book of the same name written by New Yorker business columnist – James Surowiecki – (the main idea is that the ‘mass’ is smarter than the ‘elite’) - this album does not attempt to create the excitement and buzz of the gathering flock, but rather it magnifies the emotion of a single voice crying alone in a crowd. The focus seems to be to paint a fairly bleak study of introspective solitude.
‘Pleasure’ has a rumbled landscape of sound, set before a gently fermenting beat that lasciviously slithers along. The vocal “I am your reason… I taste your soul” screams like the call of a night-jar on a cloudless night. The squeakily gloopy percussive ripples continue to regurgitate themselves around the main theme-lines. When the beautifully emblazoned chorus flashes in, it invigorates your mind and will rearrange your anxious bones. This song is full of oblique, cold expression - and some sentimental prog-rock. With a pocketful of delicate layered sounds, glossy piano, and some glorious guitar – this piece is extremely intuitive and thoroughly immersing.
Title track ‘Wisdom Of Crowds’ is a strange raven. A muddy charlatan. It kicks off with a sizzling watery pace . The voice is sombre – but ripe - “Look at how we suffer…” he exclaims. The sighs are nestled against Bruce Soord’s lead guitar – it sounds extremely alarming. As the song builds up, it begins to infect your senses. And, at wit’s end, it will come to haunt you in your sleep.
The impetuous ‘Radio Star ’- with spectral space age whoops – and nervy guitar flourishes, is followed by the frosty sparkle of ‘Frozen North’. The guitar in this song is embellished with luscious strings. And the melody takes us on a journey to a gently unrolling landscape – with white valleys and snow-capped peaks. The majesty and wildness of Jonas Renkses’ vocals will corrupt your weakened mind. Eventually, he will get you to release your grip on the here and now. And let you slip down within the ashen embrace of folding fate.
‘The Light’ runs fast and wild, never tiring, never stopping – diving and dancing. Until it runs out. Then ‘Stacked Naked’ has rude burps and a set of fastidious creaks and gutted cracks. The beats spit and saw at your feeble disposition. The chorus is very ‘Eighties’ sounding – reminiscent of ‘Tears for Fears’ in tone and spirit.
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‘Pretend’ is an elongated pulse of a song. A stockinged blush and a nostalgic tremor. Then ‘Centre Of Gravity’ sighs in with winsome moans. The rhythm sways gently, like a rocking chair on a porch. The axis-points of this hymn – written for an early undying friendship – are the pallid beats – set in stone – against that sadly concentrated voice.
Crowds have no real wisdom. Flocks can demonstrate a natural cohesion - grouping and gathering together to ensure survival and security – but there is no collective ‘hive-mind’ in the aggregate mass of humanity. But when a power is flowing through a crowd – and you share the electricity – it can be a rewarding emotional experience. The memory can help you form an opinion, or sharpen your sense of justice or courage. And so the final track ‘Flows Through You’ grips you in the same way. Like an anxious and noisy ride. A spark of energy. A flamboyant range of sound that drenches the listener. A bass-hum will nag at your sleeve. And the foam of sound envelops you. The voice bites and pecks at soft tissue. It is an exploration of all those energies that flow through us … one-by-one-… then on into the crowd.
Created by two talented artists, this is an album full of sublime songs, creative production and stunning performance. It is multi tiered and highly successful.
True, it may be a tad nostalgic for some ears – it certainly contains a lot of vintage synth-pop tartness. But it is also replete with inventiveness. Most importantly, it has a universal totality to it. Recommended.
- © Neil_Mach June 2013 -
Link:
http://www.kscopemusic.com/wisdomofcrowds/
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
