| :: Codes and Secret Longings by Raised By Swans by: Matt (Friday Put away those all too familiar grinding power chords, clean up that sound, and float away in the sometimes dark fairy tale sound of Raised by Swans. This band isn't about blowing your eardrums away, or forcing you into a fury of neck-snapping head banging, they're about creating a mature sound to overcome and overwhelm the senses. The atmosphere their new album Codes and Secret Longings creates simply captivates the listener. It’s slow music, but most definitely not quiet for the most part. Their sound just has so many layers that it’s constantly interesting to listen to. Singer/songwriter Eric Howden’s voice carries an airy quality, and when mixed with the sad poetic lyrics of his music, makes it near impossible to not be moved. It feels more like a proclamation of feeling than anything else, really. The range and versatility of his voice is pretty impressive as well. Solemn and almost monotone vocals can so easily be replaced with enthusiasm and passion, as heard in the transition between tracks “Capable of Cruelty” and “Sandcastles”, which makes for a well paced listen. RBS has a distinct style, but within that there’s a spectrum of sounds, where each end has been thoroughly explored. The instrumentals truly deserve a paragraph all their own, because below the pleasant, breathy vocals is something exquisite. Catchy bass lines underneath wonderful guitar-work don’t simply exist as a stiff leg to stand on, but instead as a form of musical life of their own. On more than one occasion you will find your attention slowly straying from lyrics to follow the painfully beautiful sound of low and lovely bass against relaxed guitar. Even on their louder tracks, The Moment That I’ll Miss for instance, there are periods of grace where chunks of sound are replaced by lighthearted finger picking and uplifting bass lines. And let’s not leave out credit to the drummer. Switch to track three, There Is No Escape, and prepare for a head-bobbing experience to an unpredictable beat against energized instrumentals. Good musicians are always impressive on their own, but a group of them working together for a good cause is more exciting than a bag of horses. This album showcases just that: a group of talented guys creating something beautiful; something that needs to be listened to, because it more than deserves it. It’s clear that Raised By Swans have worked hard and succeeded in producing a quality musical experience in Codes and Secret Longing. I can’t wait to see what direction they evolve in, and with twiddling thumbs, I will be waiting. |