Lumen - The Man Felt an Iron Hand Grasp Him by the Hair, at the Nape. Not One Hand, a Hundred Hands Seized Him, Each by the Hair, and Tore Him Head to Foot, the Way You Tear Up a Sheet of Paper, Into Hundreds of Little Pieces
(Temporary Residence)
Aerial M's self-titled debut album was not only wonderful music but
had great packaging. The CD version of the album was just a miniature
version of the LP, in every possible sense. The CD came in a glossy
red paper sleeve that was inserted into a cardboard cover. No albums
since have reproduced this style of packaging (although there are some
similar takes) until now.
Lumen's debut album (with a pretentiously-long title) reproduces the Aerial
M style of packaging adding a few glossy highlights to the
front and back cover to write their name and enhance the artwork.
Not surprisingly, Lumen's music is much the same way; it tries to create
the same sort of beautiful instrumental music that David Pajo did with
Aerial M while adding a few glossy highlights, like a pronounced
prog-rock influence and an accordion.
Unfortunately, there seems to be a communication barrier between the
band members, perhaps due to the newness of this project. The drummer
is almost always loud, energetic, and "rock," while the guitar, using
only an acoustic, is often
restrained, intricate, and (attempting to be) graceful. Other instruments
match one of the two players, choosing sides, but this creates a conflict
which is a detriment to the music. It makes it seem like a half-wit
jazz band where the supporting players stand around playing a groove,
occasionally blurting out "Woo" or "Yeah," as a soloist plays something
much more involved. This heightens Lumen's showy, pretentious vibe, making
some songs less appealing, and giving some parts a clinical feel, for
instance track "VI."
However, when the guitarist matches the energy of the drums, it can
all sound magnificent. Luckily, one of these instances is the 11 minute
epic track "V." The song leads the listener through several different
moods, from ominous, aggressive, and downward spiraling to
melodic, optimistic, and almost romantic, incorporating all the
elements of their sound.
The album closes with a crescendo on track "VIII,"
as the guitarist's contemplative, fast-paced riff jumps in volume when
the accordion and drums more fully join in. As the song progresses,
the pace slows down and mellows out to a soothing, swaying section,
making the last sounds on the album some of the best.
Perhaps the most amazing part of this record is that they managed to
fit that whole 46 word title all on the spine of the cover. Those guys
at the fair that put "Your Name On Rice" have a use, after all. While
Lumen's music is never as amazing as being able to write on a grain of
rice, it is both delicate and intricate, pleasant background music for
a busy afternoon or a quiet Saturday morning. It is a sufficiently
good album, but with words like "ex-Tarentel" and "ex-A Minor Forest"
floating around, "sufficiently good" comes off as "a little disappointing."
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