Dredg - The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion - review
Dredg - The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion - review
Band
Dredg Release date
June 09, 2009 Tracklist
01. Pariah02. Drunk Slide
03. Ireland
04. Stamp Of Origin: Pessimistic
05. Light Switch
06. Gathering Pebbles
07. Information
08. Stamp Of Origin: Ocean Meets Bay
09. Saviour
10. R U O K?
11. I Don't Know
12. Mourning This Morning
13. Stamp Of Origin: Take A Look Around
14. Long Days And Vague Clues
15. Cartoon Showroom
16. Quotes
17. Down To The Cellar
18. Stamp Of Origin: Horizon
A review by
jupitreas June 11, 2009
Once again, none of this should work in theory. The music noticeably lacks the heaviness of Dredg's previous albums, introducing production more common in hip-hop and pop than in rock, with deep, funky bass lines and a sparkling sheen present in higher frequencies. Songs that should focus on soaring refrains and catchy riffs instead favor strange rhythms and a melange of distracting samples and noises. The concept is also, once again, unashamedly pretentious and over the top: based on Salman Rushdie's "Letter To The 6 Millionth Citizen", Dredg see it fit to record an entire album filled with ruminations on the sociological and philosophical aspects of being born in modern times. Whew... quite a doozy, right? Well, theory be damned, this album simply works. It might not be as heavy as "El Cielo" but the band makes up for it by adding a true rock finesse to their sound, which makes songs such as "Pariah", "Ireland" and "Information" impress the listener with a truly prog-rock proficiency. Gavin Hayes already proved that his vocals can soar above anything that the instrumentalists happen to churn out; however, on this album he seems to have noticeably unclenched his buttocks and discovered a previously unexplored dynamic range. This combination of finesse and range makes Dredg capable of a gamut of emotions and with a song like "I Don't Know", it is clear they also haven't forgotten how to write single-worthy material either.
It takes a special kind of talent to be able to operate in musical territories that should not work. Dredg achieves this since they are pretentious but charming, complex but casual, erudite but approachable. Listening to "The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion" is not like attempting to decipher the lecture of a particularly stuck-up professor, it is more like having a beer with a wacky friend. For Dredg, these are not musical sins - it is the band's own language and they use it without making the listener feel like a moron. I sincerely hope they will continue to do so on future albums.
Comments
Comments:
8
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 Posts: 5724 |
Posts: 5724
I'm not sure if Dredg is what you make it out to be in terms of committing mistakes. However, I can only agree that they are a very enjoyable band to listen to. And so far I found this album much easier to get into than others. Plus, I dig the production. As you said, the focus is often shifted towards rhythmics and background samples and stuff, and I find that good. Maybe it's some part of me speaking that enjoys the darker atmosphere of prog bands like Porcupine Tree and Riverside. In this sense there are some similarities between them. Still, this band and this album ain't prog in any way. Anyways, definitely good stuff to listen to. I.
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Posts: 4920
I agree totally with you in the first four lines of the review. I find this album bad though, apoart some songs actually good.
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Posts: 6663 Written by Elio on 11.06.2009 at 16:05 Well, Dredg albums take a long while to digest. Perhaps you will enjoy this album more after some time has passed.
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 Posts: 2751 |
Posts: 2751 Written by jupitreas on 11.06.2009 at 16:07 I enjoyed El Cielo, but I was very opposed to Catch Without Arms. My expectations are at zero for this album so perhaps I will check it out after your thoughtful review. Thanks Jup
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Posts: 537  |
Posts: 537
Hmm, sounds lie something that would fit me perfectly, will check it out.
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Posts: 702  |
Posts: 702
The usual complex concept album by Dredg, showing great maturity, despite the funky bits...  highly recommended!
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 Posts: 6941 |
Posts: 6941
Yes, yes, and yes. I agree with every word here, though some of your points I hadn't considered before. Maybe I wouldn't consider your initial list as "sins" but they are definitely things that Dredg does. Dredg (and this album) is such a wonderfully perfect little anomaly of music. I love every second of this album, it's delightful 
---- "A life all mine Is what I choose At the end of my days" --The Gathering "A Life All Mine" from Souvenirs
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