The Does/Breathe Stone - Sleep Deprivation Blues/Crow Owens EP
(Hand/Eye)
Hand/Eye has a lovely way of handing you things that are tactile and mood setting, regardless of your taste in music. This split CD between The Does (a deer, a female deer) and Breathe Stone is no exception. While this EP isn't stellar, it is charming, but not much more than that. Of the six songs here, three by the Does and three by Breathe Stone, the middle song of each band is their best contribution.
The Does are a Canadian outfit with singer, Carol Anne, and drummer, Jim, both from Toronto and the band Nice Cat, together with guitarist/keyboardist, Neddal Ayad, from the island of Newfoundland. The first track, "Four A.M.", has indiscernible vocals flickering in and out of focus to a repetitious riff and aggressive drumming. This is watching anger from a distance. You're not sure what is going on so you have to make your own assumptions. "Five Over Three" is a dirty bit of slide guitar and the most catchy of their tunes, but still, the vocals are indistinct. Their third and last song, "Sleep Deprivation Blues," isn't as interesting as the other two, it's just more plodding with feedback.
Breathe Stone immediately sound more polished, yet they do a nice job transitioning you from The Does. They were formed two years ago by Timothy Renner with fellow Stone Breath member, Sarada, Alicia of Funeral and R.A. Campbell. Breathe Stone is a Stone Breath outlet to take their folk exploration into a more "electric" and "experimental direction." With a cavalcade of unusual instruments, they begin slow and dirge-like with Alicia's breathy vocals adding some mystical quality to the track "Rara Avis." The song "Crow Omens" captivates and is my personal favorite. It has a haunting banjo and simple lyrics that expand as the song goes electric. The final track, "Maria Walks Amid the Thorn," is reminiscent of solemn chanting.
This is quite a bit of content for one EP. It definitely gives you a glimpse into the sound of each band, but it's distracting more than enjoyable.
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