Customer Reviews

Fence the Clear (Spec)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was recently walking through a department store when an overeager sales clerk came up to me trying to sell me some generic brand cologne. The sales pitch was the usual, "If you like [insert name brand here] then you'll like our cologne." At that moment I couldn't help but remember using almost the same line to get a friend of mine to check out the new Tiles CD, Fence the Clear. "Hey, if you like Rush," I told him, "you've got to check these guys out." It was also at this moment that I realized the injustice I laid upon what is probably one of the tightest, most professional sounding bands in the Detroit area. Although the comparison to Rush was not without merit, Tiles easily stands on its own talents -- and talent is one thing this band is in no way in lack of, which the members set out to prove on FTC. The music is tight, progressive rock, combined with intelligent lyrics and powerful vocals that is immediately addicting and frequented with just enough tempo and melody shifts to keep the songs interesting no matter how many times you listen to them.

Opening up with a short jazzy intro segueing into the hard rocking Patterns the band immediately lets the listener know that they are willing and able to explore any and all musical avenues. A few rockers later Another's Hand showcases just how talented the band members are with guitarist Chris Herin, bass guitarist Jeff Whittle and drumer Mark Evans all tearing furiously into each other with relentless syncopation. Likewise Paul Rarick gets to showcase his vocal abilities on the next track The Wading Pool lending his voice over the top of some intricately beautiful acoustic guitar work. Two instrumentals mark the second half of the disk. The first, Fallen Pieces is a short moody moog synth piece that sets the stage well for the somewhat somber Changing of the Guard. The mood is lifted up again with the other instrumental Gabby's Happy Song which segues into Checkerboards, a fourteen minute lyrically introspective musical tour de force.

More recently, I was recommending the disc to another friend and thought my words out more carefully this time. "Hey, if you like tight progressive rhythms, cool lyrics and some virtuoso playing" I told him, "You've got to check these guys out." He replied "Well, I really like Rush...."

This is terrific prog, and my favorite Tiles disc. Not a weak song to be found, pristine vocals, great melodies, nice mix of acoustic, clean electric, and distorted guitar sounds, intricate drum work, and bass mixed so you can actually hear it! On Fence the Clear, the band really stretches out and expands on what they did with their self-titled CD. It has a wide, wide range of stylistic choices. It also contains all the cheer and optimism of the first disc as well as a darker, more brooding side. Highly recommended.

Do they have similarism to Rush maybe,but Tiles displays so many catchy songs and their music is fantastic,this band should be heard and liked by many.

Tiles is a progressive band that blends the long instrumentals of Dream Theater with the vocal stylings of Rush. While this CD has some decent material on it, it is too long-winded. Tiles has taken about 25 minutes worth of good melodic ideas and stretched them out to over 60 minutes. This album would have been better if it had been more concise.

SOUND QUALITY IS EXCELLENT. THE OVERALL MIX AND TEXTURE IS EXCELLENT. THE SONGWRITING HAS MATURED QUITE A BIT FROM THEIR LAST ATTEMPT. LEAPS AND BOUNDS ABOVE THE PREVIOUS RELEASE FROM THESE GUYS. IT'S PROBABLY DUE TO THE FACT THAT FAMED PRODUCER TERRY BROWN WAS AT THE HELM. I THINK THIS ALBUM IS EXCELLENT. LET'S SEE, AROUND THIS TIME, RIK EMMETT WAS GOING SOFT, QUEENSRYCHE HAD SERIOUS PROBLEMS...I WAS JUST LOOKING FOR SOME TYPE OF MUSIC THAT ROCKED.

AFTER I PURCHASED TILES DEBUT ALBUM, I WAS HESITANT TO JUMP INTO THIS NEW ALBUM. THE FIRST ALBUM HAD SOME SHINING SPOTS, BUT NOT ENOUGH FOR ME. IT'S AN AVERAGE ALBUM WITH SUBSTANDARD SOUND QUALITY. I'M VERY DEMANDING OF THE BANDS I SUPPORT. TWO SECONDS INTO THIS ALBUM, I KNEW THE QUALITY WAS THERE. THE SONGWRITING HAD EXPONENTIALLY IMPROVED. THESE GUYS EVEN HAD RADIO POTENTIAL WITH A FEW SONGS. I WAS IMPRESSED! THEY ALSO THREW IN THE INSTRUMENTALS JUST LIKE THE FIRST ALBUM. THESE INSTRUMENTALS ARE VERY LISTENABLE. THEY ARE NOT TECHNICAL DISPLAYS, JUST MELODIC PIECES OF MUSIC. NONE OF THE BAND MEMEBERS ARE ELITE TECHNICAL WIZARDS. THEY ARE VERY GOOD MUSICIANS MAKING VERY GOOD MUSIC.

THE BAND BROUGHT IN SOME DIFFERENT INSTRUMENTS TO ADD SOME TEXTURE TO THE SONGS (ORGAN, MANDOLIN). THE SONG WRITING IS VERY GOOD AND THEY EVEN STRECH OUT ON A FEW OF THE SONGS. THE 14:00 LONG 'CHECKERBOARD' REMINDS ME OF SOMETHING 'YES' MAY HAVE DONE IN THE LATE SEVENTIES. THE SONG 'CHANGING THE GAURD' REMINDS ME OF THE BRUCE DICKINSON SONG 'TAKING THE QUEEN' FROM HIS ALBUM 'ACCIDENT OF BIRTH'. THE SONG 'WADING POOL' IS AN INTIMATE ACOUSTIC DELIGHT IN THE VEIN OF BOB DYLAN. THERE'S SOMETHING PERSONAL ABOUT AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR AND A SINGLE VOCAL MELODY. 'BENEATH THE SURFACE' IS A RADIO HIT THAT NEVER GOT AIRTIME. IT SOUNDS LIKE THE 'ROMANTICS' MEET 'RUSH'.

I AM NOT TRYING TO BE A HOMER. THERE ARE SONGS ON THIS ALBUM THAT I COULD DO WITHOUT. I'M NOT FOUND OF THE JAZZY INTRO TO 'PATTERNS' OR THE RHYTHMIC PULSE OF IT'S WEAK CHORUS. I THINK 'GAMESHOW' COULD DISAPPEAR WITH A TRACE. I'D BE OK WITH THAT. THE INSTRUMENTALS SEEM TO BE A LITTLE IMMATURE. THEY JUST FILL UP SPACE RATHER THAN MAKE A BOLDER STATEMENT. AS FAR AS INSTRUMENTALS GO, 'DRESS REHERSAL' FROM THE FIRST SELF-TITLED DEBUT WAS MUCH BETTER THAN ANY ON THIS ALBUM.

THE LYRICS FOR TILES ARE OBSERVATORY. THEY TEND TO BE ABOUT THE HUMAN CONDITION. THIS ALBUM IS A LITTLE MORE PERSONAL IN THE LYRIC DEPARTMENT. I DO LIKE MOST OF THE LYRICS. THEY HAVE A BETTER FLOW AND ARE LESS CHOPPY THAN SOME OF THE SONGS ON THE FIRST ALBUM. THE SINGER IS UPFRONT, CRISP AND CLEAR ON HIS DELIVERY. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I DON'T ALWAYS HEAR. EVEN WHEN LISTENING TO THE 'BIG' GUYS THAT HAVE BEEN AT IT FOR OVER TWENTY YEARS. HE HAS A GREAT VOICE, BUT JUST NOT DISTINCTIVE ENOUGH TO MAKE HIM STAND OUT IN THE CROWD.

OVERALL, THESE GUYS SEEM TO BE MORE HOMOGENEOUS. WITH THE STYLES OF DICKINSON,DYLAN,ROMANTICS,RUSH AND YES; THEY ARE MELTING ELEMENTS OF INFLUENCE INTO A NEWLY DISCOVERED COMPOUND CALLED 'TILES'.

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS:

-BENEATH THE SURFACE

-WADING POOL

-ANOTHER'S HAND

-CHANGING THE GAURD

-CHECKERBOARDS

MIKE ETTORE