artist: Justin scott gray
title: the radius of the innermost circle is One
catL N/A
keywords: experimental, progressive, rock, ambient, rock, electro
label: AMOK RECORDINGS http://amokrecordings.com/
Reviewer: Cameron Thomson
Crash!… woops, was that my cymbol? Wait it was. Wow!
Now lets get started with this acoustic feels that penetrate my soul to lovelyness.
“everything i once knew part i” creates a lovely backdrop of sentimentality with sparse chords that may make one reflect on their childhood…
fused with some post rock soft tremolo lead guitar work that helps penetrate a mood for looking out the window on a rainy day
or a sunny day in fields ofgrass with the one you love. it soon vanishes with the sparse chords again and SIGH..ITS OVER
i played it 3 times in a row.. belter of an opener!
“point a finger” opens with a lovely groove. acoustic over electronic? I am in love, this is just my cup of tea..
would you like some? i’ll put the kettle on.. and change into yourlover as here it comes again, acoustic chords that settle the soul
Drums make me dance like a skut for you, whitewash synths and entwining melodies bustle as i bust my ass.. wait no.. lets stop and go back to hugging
it calms down a touch and we settle with more melodies. this may lead to something.. more BUT NO.. im pointing a finger… geddit? hawhaw
Its good, really good. Production is getting punchy but soft as it just vanishes as i do and you are left pointing a finger at the ghost.
“wedding day” reminds me ofmy own work at the beginning. a nice beat to open with. very slow minimal techno and a rise of chords from a guitar
drums, hats, chickka-chicking and a snare roll helps a little more as the triumphant feeling of this song shows you that you are walking down the isle to your one and only.
feelings persist and melodies of a piano & guitar are heard with some post rock vibe. its still a march but its a build that I feel that want and demands a release of theatrics
and maybe large orchestra..
its really good as it slows down to some organ some light strumming. you are only getting married, be happy 🙂
“reprise (until end)” nice acoustic flavour with this one. a little vocal that reminds me of the pixies is heard but it seems very off balance. the last 3 tracks were instrumental.
it sounds pretty folk inspired as there is a bastard of a kickdrum fucking your ears like they should as you really get into it. its funky, its good, its reallywell written, with the
slide guitar and drums meshing in with the acoustic rhythms. a little slower for you and it tells me that “just waiting for something to happen” but im already there, its happening now and i am
enjoying it clearly a little more than is needed. andwe are back with the the funky part that needs more attention than the dance I am doing.
a sombre solo with some chorus is just what it needs and you fucking get it. 20 seconds left and im thinking that I may want to buy another of justins’ releases!
“O” starts like something you would hear from nine inch nails. bass, drums… very lovely song writing. piano? no thats guitar!
it all mixes pretty well with a lead guitar that I wish was me. and its all a bit hazy as it changes to a nice 4/4 rhythm and I wish Brian Moloko would just saunter in and start singing.
But no, it doesnt happen and I am left with this beautiful music. the guitar is brilliant. the drums feel live. and what? the production sort of changes to a cut off guitar and drums that are strangled.
hmm. seems like a game to me. im readyto play and now im sonic as the drums and guitar kick in with a new melody, im racing about the big halfpipe avoiding bombs as it keeps me going.
yes! more golden rings for me. electronic noises with some bass lead it out and im breathless..
“everything i once knew part ii” is just as good as the first part. it needs said right here and now that as short as the song is, it is probably my faourite one on here.
guitars and drums are right there with you thinking back to everything you once knew. leading you on, holding your hand, keeping you company till its all gone.
“something that i don’t see” clocks in at 11:50 and as I write this as I listen, that sort of daunts me.. I like this music but do I want it this much? Im this track and one more from the end..
I might as well face this music head on. oozing guitars painted over a little lead and some sort of rize. there are vocals? wow. its a little depressing if you are into that sort of thing!
his voice is still a little off, i think its that the overdub doesnt fit. the ongoing guitars in the background are really meditative.
Its quite lovely how its all taking shape till it fades. And I want it back. It sounds like a cello but electronically altered. Its sad but beautiful at the same time.
BANG
Drums are here and its getting a lot better. Its all fitting in now. As Justin sings I can picture someone leading another away into the wilderness with a revolver at the back of them.
Wild west style.
The musical change here fits so much that I did not notice it. The bass drives it through your little chest as its bigger and deeper than you are.
I feel like this would be really good in a film and I wish Justin would be HUGE right now as the thumping drums come at me. Guitars and drums are over me, building towards a floating
and a kind of gallant atmosphere. His vocals are barely audible but im ok with him talking like that to me, under the music, like it means more. Distorted guitars here are a bit of a change in direction.
Its driving me somewhere. All I can think is NOW is that it would be good to see live. Flashing images and very arty.
How come these crashes werent in it before? Quite drone of you Justin. Moody and close. Not sunn0)) but just the remedy for a build in the drums. Fills and shuffles under hammering.
Yet again, no release that the build seems to need and another change into a another as soon as i mention it. The crashes and drone guitar palm muted play out to the end with it going silent. BOOM – leave it.
“when ambitions start to fade” is exactly what I wanted after that. Acoustic and intimate. One vocal track. Uplifting and im nodding my head to this. Keeping up with the vibe that sounds like the first song..
his vocals are not bad, but not good either. sort of in between. I am liking it but not liking it at the same time. His music fits his voice perfectly and his voice fits his music in a weird way.
I take this as it comes to me, and its just what I want, and just as he says in the end “what you need is what you have”. I needed that, and I got it.
The production of this is amazing as is the songwriting and no doubt it is not for free if you want the cd or the tape. im just happy I took the time out to listen to what Justin has to offer.
Its put out by Amok Recordings and DAMN is it fine.
http://amokrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/the-radius-of-the-innermost-circle-is-one but and listen here.
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Yeah I Know It Sucks 