In order to appropriately throw myself into this kind of thing, I decided to talk about the record that got me thinking about reviewing in the first place. So, with plenty to say, let's get started.
Art Decade, a Pittsfield, Massachusetts based evolution of my old band Channel produces music as ambitious as each of its members. Currently consisting of guitarist/lead vocalist Ben Talmi, and bassist/vocalist Binod Singh Jr., the boys of Art Decade, to those who are fortunate enough to witness their blossoming into notability, will be known for their endless self-promotion, obsessive attention to detail, and color-saturated spirit that renews the hope in all rockers who gave up looking for the next Radiohead. ‘Royalty’ is an exact incarnation of each member’s character.
The record immediately bares its teeth with ‘March II,’ a fanfare of horns and marching drums that demand your attention and prepare you for a one of the more invigorating listening experiences you’re bound to come across. It is no surprise that the band consists of students of Berklee College of Music. ‘March II’ plants a seed, which abruptly sprouts into ‘Royalty,’ a relentless smattering of Talmi’s, Singh’s and former drummer Chad Montermini’s abilities as musicians. From the get-go, ‘March II’ and ‘Royalty’ promise to deliver a joyous, kaleidoscopic portfolio of sound that will belt the duration of the record. Talmi sings: “And the truth is that | all hope is not lost | and the ship will set sail | only when the winds blow.” I’m confident that when the winds blow, Art Decade’s career will set sail, something that existing Art Decade fans are patiently waiting for.
‘Royalty’ is a gilded medley of their most prominent influences, including The Mars Volta, Radiohead and Queen. The record celebrates the joy of making music and presents a kingdom of proficiency. Every song in their own respect brings a different side of royalty to the listener. But perhaps the song ‘Glam Girls’ paints a not-so-glamorous picture. The song seems to halt the momentum of the record, with acoustic guitar, chimes and a familiar marching snare line rallying against pretentiousness and immaturity. Whether or not the song is necessary to the record is best left to the decision of the listener, but in my own experiences, I spend the duration of the song waiting for the rain cloud to pass over.
I’ve been putting this record through my headphones quite often since its September 2009 release, and I expect things to remain uninflected. A near flawless record by an ambitious, talented trio of Berklee students receives the first official review on my new blog, and 4.5 out of 5 stars.
