Album Reviews
Samus Octology | Irepress
One of the best albums I’ve listened to in a long time is Samus Octology (2005) by IRepress. It’s been on my running playlist for about 4 weeks straight now, and I’m still not tired of their songs. I bought their album after Dan found their name on the list of bands to play with God Is An Astronaut (who we saw at the Ottobar in Baltimore, MD).
What makes IRepress really stand out in my mind is their isolation of certain key instruments. They allow the guitars and the drums to really solo out at key junctures in the song. It never sounds random or out of place and there is always a good buildup. Most of the solos are really simple too, which I really value. It makes the song’s theme and the artist’s ideas come out more than individual ego.
My absolute favorite track is Nonografistole Adendum (Trampled to Death by Love). It starts out very pleasant and almost happy sounding. A guitar riff right after the first couple bars reminds me of the very beginnings of an intimate relationship. Its all flirtation, great conversations, and enjoying one another’s time. Then right after that riff, it goes into several bars of what makes it sound like the evolving of a relationship. Its gets happier, you choose to settle down, and things seem very pleasant. All the things most people always remember about a relationship. Then right about 1:30 in, that’s where the pain begins. Thats when you start to pick at one another and all insecurities start coming out. The bass kicks in and the main guitar + drums go hard. Then there seems to be a moment of realization in both individuals of whats happening. And at that exact moment, a saxophone drops into the song for over 30 sec helping to ease the harshness of reality. The entire song then takes you through various aspects of love. I take this song to be a musical metaphor for standard American relationships, though I’m sure it can be taken in many ways. Regardless of how you personify it, the song itself is just beautiful. Especially for something that is 9 min long!
Tags: Who We Are
Categories
Favorite Music Blogs
Discussion
for “Samus Octology | Irepress”