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TDW - First Re-Draft review



Reviewer:
7.9
Band: TDW
Album: First Re-Draft
Release date: September 2011


01. Endless
02. The Mourning After
03. Happy Day
04. Innerburn
05. Dreamwalk
06. Overture/Prologue
07. New Strength
08. Your Room
09. My Loss
10. Epilogue

Tom de Wit is the man behind the project TDW, hailing from The Netherlands. He essentially does it all, including the production, leaving only the solos and most guitar leads to Methilde Bouma and Sander Stegeman.

First Re-Draft is an ambitious and conceptual album with three chapters (Dreams, Endings and At The End Of Love) and it reads as a book, revealing more as you turn the next page. The songs have progressive written all over them, and generally speaking, they lean more toward a classic progressive feel, which doesn't make it retro. Actually, the main trait of this album is the fact that it allows itself to experiment with sounds, samples, and different musical routes with its particular use of keyboards and the predominance of solos.

The album only really kicks off with "The Mourning After". In fact, "Endless" might throw some people off but don't be discouraged by it, there are far better things ahead. This is a very sentimental and emotional album, the lyrics seem very personal and honest. However, what I would like to highlight in First Re-Draft are the electronic elements, the industrial moods and the synth effects used. "Dreamwalk", for starters, is very catchy and groovy, and is followed by "Overture", a stunning orchestral work and one of the best songs on the album. "My Loss", with its overlapping whispering voices, echoes and sinister atmosphere, represents the darker ambiances of the album, especially found in the third chapter. There is a wide range of musical shapes explored by TDW and the calmer states work as well as the heavy guitars exchanges.

Even though it falls into the trap of some clichés in terms of the guitar work, the album has enough interesting points to make you turn a blind eye to that. Some of the vocal lines seem awkward at first, but they are just unconventional, which makes it harder to grasp. In fact, Tom de Wit's voice adapts perfectly to the different environments of the songs. And as opposed to so many albums which give you the same thing over and over again, this album provides diversity and versatility. At the end of the day, that is what is most appealing about First Re-Draft.

First Re-Draft is a remake of the album First Draft, released in 2004.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 8
Songwriting: 8
Originality: 7
Production: 8





Written on 02.12.2011 by News chief, random reviewer, professional progger and wannabe surfer.


Comments

Comments: 6   Visited by: 92 users
03.12.2011 - 02:38
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Very well-written, but definitely not something I'd be interested in. Keep up the good work!
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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03.12.2011 - 10:36
BloodTears
ANA-thema
Written by Troy Killjoy on 03.12.2011 at 02:38

Very well-written, but definitely not something I'd be interested in. Keep up the good work!


Yes, I would think so too. When something black/prog comes my way, you'll be the first to know!

Appreciate the words
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29

Like you could kiss my ass.


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03.12.2011 - 22:19
Dark Blood
The Avenger
Interesting review. And very well written as Troy mentioned.

This might be something I'd want to try out. Reading the review made me curious so I searched over the internet. Sadly there was not much I could find about this album that I could taste. Only found the song 'New Strength' on youtube and I liked it! But I know one song is never enough to judge an album, specially a prog conceptual one. Hopefully I can find something more about it.

Thanks for the good review! Keep it up
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It is humanity who must pay homage to the greatness of the Universe... not the Universe to the human narcissism.
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04.12.2011 - 10:31
BloodTears
ANA-thema
Written by Dark Blood on 03.12.2011 at 22:19

Interesting review. And very well written as Troy mentioned.

This might be something I'd want to try out. Reading the review made me curious so I searched over the internet. Sadly there was not much I could find about this album that I could taste. Only found the song 'New Strength' on youtube and I liked it! But I know one song is never enough to judge an album, specially a prog conceptual one. Hopefully I can find something more about it.

Thanks for the good review! Keep it up


Thank you!

I see that as being a problem. I think there are a few songs on their official website, you can try that. But this is really the case where you need to listen to the whole album because it is a cohesive piece.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29

Like you could kiss my ass.


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07.12.2011 - 18:03
Edmund Fogg

Nice review. Made me curious. I'll put that on my list of albums to check out (already pretty long). You should do this more often.
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You cannot sedate all the things you hate - MM
The Observer is the source of reality - Bloom
God damn it!! What did Diddy didn't do? - Satan
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07.12.2011 - 18:31
BloodTears
ANA-thema
Written by Edmund Fogg on 07.12.2011 at 18:03

Nice review. Made me curious. I'll put that on my list of albums to check out (already pretty long). You should do this more often.


I think I will from now on. Don't forget to tell me what you thought about the album when you listen to it. Curious to know what other people think about it
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29

Like you could kiss my ass.


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