Threefifty
- Gently Among the Coals
The
title alone tells some of the story. Gently Among the Coals is an understated
image for an album bringing together strong musical and literary qualities in
often surprising and dramatic ways. Threefifty has been working for some years
now and has acquired a sterling reputation for their consistently high quality
of achievement but, unlike many older and younger bands alike, Threefifty have
proven rarely content for staying in one artistic place for very long. Gently
Among the Clouds brings together the band’s penchant for classical composition
together with a folk and slightly baroque sensibility. The sound, approach, and
final result is singular. Some might say the world doesn’t need any more songs
and the last half century plus flood of all manner of music might give the same
impression to those otherwise uninformed. The bar has simply never been set
high enough. Bands like Threefifty, however, are clearly aspiring to fare able
to withstand posterity’s glare and succeed in doing so.
Gently
Among the Coals never takes shortcuts. The opener “Crossing State Lines” could
have been much more traditional fare, but Threefifty thankfully hears the
guitar in a much different way than many old and young bands alike. The
instrument is recorded with great intimacy throughout the course of the album’s
twelve songs, but the common theme in its presentation is that it takes on an
orchestral role. The seeming chorus of guitars on the first song is arranged to
perfection but still achieve recognizable effects. “Allegiance” will impress a
lot of people. The song communicates with great simplicity, but likewise has a
layered arrangement that will draw listeners in from the start. It is one of
the few lyrical numbers on Gently Among the Coals and Threefifty makes the
effort count by utilizing a superb vocal performance bringing the fine lyrics
fully to life. Another musical high point comes with the song “Andromeda”. It’s
another example of how this band inventively uses guitar in ways that few other
bands would dare attempt, but despite the daring they show, Threefifty never loses
the melodic plot. Their melodies are restless, forever evolving, sometime
flinty or cracked, but it remains one of the band’s chief pursuits in nearly
every song.
Few
songs on Gently Among the Coals better illustrate that quality than “Until Our
Hearts Give Out”. Threefifty brings different styles together with a less than
heavy hand and the conscientious artistry they show fusing electric guitar work
with an electronica backing succeeds, in no small part, thanks to
understatement. “The Door”, with lyrics by Vicki Kennelly Stock, has a
disquieting effect on the listener thanks to its penchant for darker sounds,
but there’s still the same attention to melodic detail setting it apart from
the band’s peers and the expert way the band steers through a variety of
textural changes should be admired. “More” features contributions from
electronic performer and producer Daedelus, but it bears all the marks of
Threefifty’s constant upending of expectations. They employ traditional
instruments in unusual ways and the gripping backbeat frequently coming out of
the mix will surely capture listeners’ attention. Threefifty’s latest release
Gently Among the Coals is a new benchmark in an already impressive career.
9/10
Joshua
Stryde
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