Enemy Chorus

The Earlies | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 23, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Secretly Canadian
• ASIN: B000LP6KUI
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #341,974 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

While a growing number of bands draw from various aspects of 1970s prog-rock, the Earlies differ in a couple of key ways. First, they're part band, part sprawling collective, with upward of 16 musicians taking part in the recording. Second--and most important--they reference not the bombast and conceptual overlays that turned the genre into a parody of itself, but rather the arrangement and compositional sensibilities built upon craft and invention. The 11 songs on their second album have their own separate identity, with a diversity of colors and influences putting the Earlies in the company of such contemporaries as Mercury Rev, the Polyphonic Spree, and even, occasionally, Beck. Full of mystery, piano and woodwinds interact with traditional rock instrumentation without ever sounding forced. It also helps that the songs are sung in timbres that eschew dramatic grandstanding. Their electronics hark back to the pioneering days of the pre-Moog '60s rather than the fusionaires that followed a decade later. --David Greenberger

Product Description

Their sophomore effort is a hypnotic voyage through a largely aphotic locale with unpredictable bursts of light and sound. The album comes from a darker and less familiar place than their pop tradition-steeped debut "These Were The Earlies". While no less beautiful than that record, "The Enemy Chorus" carries a greater feeling of uncertainty, longing, anxiety, and sadness. The group's production skills have been greatly refined, at times reminiscent of Nigel Godrich's great-layered atmospheres. The approach to recording is essentially the same, though, and the distinct Earlies sound remains intact. Influences range from the essential work of Faust to prog greats Gentle Giant to the musique concrete madness of Jean-Claude Vannier.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Modern Orchestral Psychedelic Rock, June 12, 2007

By 

A. Buckley (New England, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Enemy Chorus (Audio CD)

This album reminds me of what would happen if you mixed Pink Floyd with more orchestral sounding bands such as the Arcade Fire and perhaps a more modern sounding ELO. Several of the songs mix the sounds of synths and keyboards with horns nicely. The first track "No Love In Your Heart" starts off with a few seconds of violins and then builds up into a swirling, chaotic, layered wall of mesmerizing sound. It seems designed to grab your attention in almost the same way that the first track of Dark Side of the Moon does with the ever loudening heartbeat and other noises.

There are also lots of little weird noises in the background and unexpected instruments to keep things interesting. The sounds of old typewriters, tv channel changing, odd distortion, tv static and echoey vocals are scattered across the album.

It's melodic and also rocks. A fun and interesting listen. If you enjoy rock bands that go beyond the standard instruments of drums, bass and guitar, you should get this album.

4.0 out of 5 stars Great album....but, November 21, 2008

By 

Brian Shreckengost - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Enemy Chorus (Audio CD)

The Earlies have contributed a beautiful and poetic album which you should have in your library of music. The tone of the album in the beginning expresses a lot of harmony and emphasizes the broad spectrum of musicians that play on the album. The middle takes away the overall awe of what the band can perform, but...and this is a small but. The album takes your breath away at the very end....Enjoy

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Buy it, February 4, 2007

By 

David R. Lowe - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Enemy Chorus (Audio CD)

By no means a slam dunk of an album but it's certainly worth buying. The overall style is difficult to pin down and that's what makes it so interesting. It takes a few hearings but it gets under your skin. Bad is As Bad Does and Breaking Point stand out as stonkingly good tracks and the Cd is worth it for those two alone. I'm looking forward to seeing how The Earlies' style develops in the future.