2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
In sections and beams, January 15, 2005
This review is from: Sectioned Beam (Audio CD)
In theory, it's a good idea -- mixing bits of metal, dreampop, space-rock and one driving guitar. But Lansing-Dreiden never lives up to its promise in "Sectioned Beam." It feels like a good experimental album that hasn't decided if it wants to be the Beach Boys or a quirky ambient-pop group.
It opens with "Locks in Shadows," an oddball mix of sunny-sounding pop and spacey sound effects and echoes. If it had stuck to that, this EP would have been a winner. But in "Spectrum of Vapor," they stray into a rambling ambient-pop sound, with lazy waves of sound overlaid with some violins and metallic sound effects.
The title track seems to be halfway between the two, with a rock-pop vibe over spacey vocals. Of all the songs, it works the best -- there's an eerie, entrancing sound to this song, despite the occasionally silly vocal woo-wooing. Finally there is a remix of the title track, which tries unsuccessfully to mix heavy percussion with airy, delicate melodies.
This offbeat musical collective sounds like a less sunny, more peculiar version of the Polyphonic Spree. Their sound is polished, yet they seem to need their sound pulled together and tightened before it can be truly entrancing. It has everything it needs to be great, yet it is only okay.
The driving guitar is surprisingly catchy, and is one of the best aspects of this EP. The percussion, slow string arrangements and sound waves are kept muted, giving a dreamlike air to the instrumentation. And the vocals are not muffled, but rather enhanced with eerie echoing sounds. The only drawback is that occasionally the words get hard to make out.
Lansing-Dreiden may become a great band, if they decide what they want to be. "Sectioned Beam" has a couple of excellent tracks, but it also has a pair of confused duds.
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