But Brigman also plays with this technique, like on “Hand of Time.” With this track “So it only goes to show/ It’s not too late to celebrate believing” comes at you hard and fast and jolts you with each word. On “Another Dream,” something like “Wondering where you’re going, never knowing what you see” sounds so good and fun it just makes you smile. Especially notable are Triptides’ repeated use of internal rhymes. Although simple, the unique word choices and rhyming patterns add a poetic layer of complexity. The final element added to the mix are the lyrics. Once again, though, Brigman is able to adapt, softening his voice and repeatedly pulling back in order to let the instruments and stellar percussion take the lead. “She Doesn’t Want to Know” highlights the band’s range in this ability by attempting a sweet, 50’s-style love song. This adds to the funkiness of the track and provides some excellent contrast with the falsetto leanings of the verses. When “Elemental Chemistry” explodes with a wailing guitar, Brigman responds by stretching out his syllables and accenting particular words. Throughout the album, we observe that collaboration between the instruments and the vocals. However, instead of sounding awful, this strain actually fits with the instrumentation and the raw feeling of the track. ![]() Nor is Brigman afraid to let his voice sound a little ugly: “Hand of Time” has him constantly peaking. Meanwhile “Let It Go” has a syncopated delivery that aligns perfectly with the punchy drums driving the track. “Do You Ever Wonder” for example, features an echoey vocal that gives a spacious, weightless feeling to the track. Serving also as the band’s keyboardist (which go through unique variations of their own), Brigman cycles through a selection of vocal settings to pick the one that matches each track. Whether a track is more one or the other depends mostly on Glenn Brigman’s vocals. With a combination of electric guitars, banging drums, and echoey vocals, the band engages in an indie psychedelic sound that is simultaneously laid back and intense. ![]() Based out of Los Angeles, Triptides feels like summer in every sense of the word. Their new album, Alter Echoes, continues that trend but punctuates the album with interesting variations. And in some cases, even better.Over the past ten years, Triptides has been remarkably consistent in their sound. But even listeners not attracted to the band’s enthusiastically dated aesthetic will admit they write impressive songs, not unlike their more famous inspirations. The sweet ballad “Moonlight Reflection” brings ‘70’s soulful Todd Rundgren into the mix and the chiming, charming “Let It Go” would have sounded in place on a ‘60s Searchers or Hollies album, at least until it twists into a psychedelic swirl in its midsection.Īt this point you are either on Triptides’ bus or you’ve decided the group’s retro forever approach isn’t the ride you’d like to take. Frontman Glenn Brigman keeps his vocals on simmer which infuses innocence into this music, making it even more attractive. There are overdubs but the majority of this music is crafted by three guys that sound like a band at least twice as large. ![]() It’s Floyd where Triptides finds the stimulation for tracks such as the Syd Barrett era space rock of “Hand of Time” and the Dark Side of the Moon aura the helps “Shining” float along like puffy clouds on a spring afternoon. Perhaps the guys best define their own tunes in the advance material that describes the dreamy “Elemental Chemistry” with “If music had a scent, this song would smell like incense and the perfume of a long forgotten civilization.” While some may bemoan that the Triptides aren’t expanding out of its bubble, these songs are far from Dukes of Stratosphere-styled caricatures of the bands they clearly love.Įven though The Byrds’ “So You Want to Be a Rock and Roll Star” references drive the pealing 12 strings of “It Won’t Hurt You” and you may think someone slipped a Zombies cover in for both “She Doesn’t Want to Know” and the appropriately titled “Another Dream,” Triptides write creative, melodic choruses around these musical bones. Album number seven doesn’t tinker with that established formula. While the recording quality has improved markedly over the years, the trio’s overall direction has resolutely remained firmly rooted in the ‘60s and early ‘70s. based threesome has been cranking out this heady, psych-groove for a decade with six previous albums. Rex….the list continues but you get the idea.Īmazingly, the L.A. Start with early Pink Floyd, move onto the psychedelic end of The Byrds, the eerie melodic vibe of The Zombies, a bit of krautrock Can, some Badfinger and T. It’s impossible to hear any songs on Triptides’ new album and not reference the sounds of classic acts the band audaciously cites as influences.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |