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Blotto
Singles Collection 2004-2007 |
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Tracklist |
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01 - CAUSATION
02 - Beyond The Mountain
03 - Fibs in the hands |
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Review |
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Is Brahman a punk band? A hardcore band? A folk band even? Sometimes it's hard to make out what the band exactly is, as is the case in their latest single Causation. Despite jamming some sour elements into the title track, the b-sides take up the given slack.
"Causation" starts off with a soothing, loungey bassline melody leading into buzzsaw guitars, something not entirely unheard of in a melodic hardcore album, but it's in the folk-like choruses where Brahman shows their true form. Much like Ryan Seacrest in the guise of a heterosexual male, Brahman has ultimately proved that they're a folk band in a hardcore body. Some may claim that the folk choruses and bridge are where the song falls apart—and it may seem that way from the outset considering how much of a change they are from the energetic verses. This contrast offers a very distinct love-it-or-hate-it divide among listeners; some will find it refreshing while others may easily discount it as ultimately boring. However, the contrasting elements aren't the main problem. The song would have ended on a terrific note had the band not revived the chorus after the introducing bassline resurfaces once again. Instead of a very comfortable coda the audience is treated to an ending that just falls apart, adding another minute to what could have been a tightly knit song.
The b-sides round out the disc as a sort of mini-compendium of the "Brahman sound," and provide a much more interesting listening experience. "Beyond the Mountain" is actually an old song from the band's early Grope Our Way EP. It's not too different from the previous version, albeit much more produced. While the overall sound is much fuller on the re-recording, the older recording has a D.I.Y. spirit to it that is much more charming. Either way it's a terrific song that takes an Eastern sounding riff and develops it into a hard rocker; it's pure Brahman, through and through. The folk ballad "Fibs in the Hands," while sounding fairly cliché on the outset, still evokes a sense of deep sincerity and spirit. The melody seems all too familiar—there isn't much room for variation in the ballad format—but the band's presence edges out over mediocrity. Toshi-low's pristine vocals, Kohki and Makoto's melodic nuances, and Ronzi's restrained drumming all work to the advantage.
Causation is probably the easiest way to introduce new listeners to the band, containing a little bit of everything in a neatly wrapped three song package. You've got your something old ("Beyond the Mountain"), something new ("Causation"), something borrowed (listening time), and something blue ("Fibs in the Hands"). It isn't entirely a match made in heaven, as the title track is a mixed bag. But the b-sides make an otherwise insignificant single worth at least a listen. |
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