Set Fires to Flames - Sings Reign Rebuilder
(Alien 8)
Elaborate packaging. An insert book overflowing with vellum pages and a mixture
of purposely skewed photos and collages. Cryptic song titles drowning in
slashes and other separators. Songs featuring recordings of men talking about
things that just don' t sound right, things that smack of insanity-fueled
anarchy. Given all these signs, you would think this was just another Godspeed
You Black Emperor side-project. Perhaps it is. To these ears, it's something a
bit more interesting than that. Instead of the sturm & drang usually associated
with Godspeed (aiming at Wagner's Valhalla with Tchaikovsky's cannons), Set Fire to
Flames opts for a more atmospheric approach. There are a few moments of clamor
on this disc. For instance, the gradual build up on Track 11, AKA "* Shit-Heap Gloria of the New Town Planning," or the guitar slicing through Track 3,
a track whose name will not be typed here. Also, there's a bit of distorted
trip-hoppy action on Track 6), but those are rare moments. The majority of this
disc recalls the quieter moments found on Rachel's 2nd album, The Sea and The
Bells, or the instrumental interludes found on Ida's latest albums. That means
it's quite good. As a matter of fact, if you're not familiar with the Godspeed
family of releases, or if you've grow weary of the group's excessive aggressions,
this disc might be just what you need.
|
