Customer Reviews

Selling Insincerity

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Abigail's Ghost hits home with their first album "Selling Insincerity" with intricate beautiful music. There is obvious Porcupine Tree influence throughout the whole album, and naturally I loved it seeing as Porcupine Tree is one of my favorite bands. Anyways, going right into it, the instrumental prowess each musician presents is brilliant.

Guitar playing is definitely cutting edge, proving to be both speedy and turbulent at times when it is needed, but then immediately switching to heart-felt emotional guitar parts; especially at solos, very mellow and cool! The heavy riffing, ambient clean guitar and entrancing accoustic guitar all compliment each other perfectly throughout the album. Great examples of this are in songs like "Close," "Dead Peoples Review," and "Seeping" just to name a few. It's obvious that guitarist, Josh Theriot knows a lot about the instrument and how to get exactly what he wants out of it, simply great.

The vocals and lyrical content are very free-flowing, great melodies and the harmonization is just fantastic. I also really like the voice the lead singer has, comparable to Steven Wilson, which is in no way a bad thing. Overall Theriot delivers again with bass player Kenneth Wilson and keyboardist Brett Guillory adding to their list of talents with this tremendous and emotional display vocals.

The drumming is absolutely magnificent, one of the first things I noticed about the song "Close" was how addictive and smooth the drum beats were. Another great song with really technical and perfectly controlled drumming is "Sellout." Great control on the snare and extremely powerful drum fills using the double kick. The whole album has great drumming, very talented guy here!

I was also a really big fan of the bass in this album. In most bands, the bass simply follows the guitar, not adding its own layer to the music. Thankfully this is not the case with Abigail's Ghost. The bass always adds its own element to the song as well as carries the song throughout the whole album. I find myself humming these addictive and catchy rhythms all the time, really good stuff.

Finally, although in some songs not as impactive, the keyboard adds another facet to Abigail's Ghost melodic songwriting. It is great because it doesn't go over the top. Exactly the opposite in fact, the lovely piano parts give many songs such as "Sellout" and "Monochrome" the perfect accent of ambience that send the listener to another place. In a word, beautiful.

Overall, the band is awesome and right now I bet you're wondering "if they're so great, what's with the four star rating?" I really enjoy their music, but at some points I often felt like they sounded very similar to Porcupine Tree. This is not exactly a bad thing, and since it is their first album, it's understandable that they may not have found their sound yet, but the vocalist seems to be nearly parallel with Steven Wilson with his approach on vocals. This doesn't kill the band though, and there is no doubt in my mind that Abigail's Ghost will eventually find their sound. I am anxious to see how great this band could get, they are already so awesome!

If Amazon allowed me, I would give this album a 4.5 it is a GREAT album and I would reccomend it to any fan of Porcupine Tree or just great music in general!

Selling Insincerity is the debut album of Abigail's Ghost, a young American band formed around the nucleus of guitarist and vocalist Joshua Theriot and bassist Kenneth Wilson. Though the band avoids categorization, their style of music mostly falls into progressive rock that emphasizes a blend of groove, spacey atmospheres, and excellent vocal harmonies.

This is a self-released effort, drawing from a vast library of influences including Porcupine Tree, A Perfect Circle, Tool, Massive Attack, and Rush. The low bass drones of the album opener "Mazurka" lead into the rhythmically aware "Close", which immediately stands out for its Porcupine Tree-like vocal arrangement, sparse drum beats, and bleak synth lines. The chorus of the song is incredibly memorable, and helps thicken the already dense soundscape. You can hear lots of weird sound collections in the background if you listen with a good set of headphones. The song breaks down into a creepy middle section filled with cold acoustic guitars capped by powerful bass strokes and distant keyboards.

Joshua Theriot employs a similar vocal recording technique to Steven Wilson; he utilises the same processed vocal style and laidback singing whilst continuously exerting a melodious delivery. His vocal melodies on songs like "Waiting Room" and "Seeping" are amazing. Though most will be reminded of Steven Wilson when hearing him sing, Theriot cites Chris Corner of IAMX and Sneaker Pimps as his main influence. He is also an excellent guitar player, adding varied guitar sounds to the compositions. He can go from elegiac lead playing on "Monochrome" to atonal expressions on "Love Sounds" and "Cerulean Blue", both of which boast a Belew-like tone and articulation.

Kenneth Wilson's backing vocals and bass are equally important to the success of these songs. Not only is he a gifted songwriter, he is also an excellent producer given the duo's limited resources when recording this album. If it weren't for the amazing production, there is no way these songs would sound as good as they do. Wilson's bass playing is particularly central on "Cerulean Blue", complete with industrial-like beats, eerie sounds, and manipulated vocal parts. The mix on this song is phenomenal, blowing the listener away with killer right-left speaker panning.

The other members' performance is awesome as well. The studio drummer did a great job, as he exerts both classic 4/4 beats and complex polyrhythms depending on the flow of the song (he is now replaced by permanent member John Patrick Rodrigue). They have also enlisted a second guitar player since they cut the record: Randy Paul. However, Joshua Theriot's guitar work is solid through and through with crunchy rhythms and excellent leads. Theriot has also recorded some synths along with keyboardist Brett Guillory who brings in Barbieri-like synth textures in order to reach necessary atmospheres.

The lyrics are thought-provoking and match the incredible artwork perfectly. The image on the front cover gives a sense of separation while the baby doll lying on the ground in the foreground has ties to themes of abandonment, which is explored on the album. Also, "Sellout" could be read as a nod to Porcupine Tree's "The Sound of Muzak", but it is also about compromising oneself. The band isn't that keen on talking about their lyrics as they believe it might defeat the purpose of extrapolating one's own meaning.

Fans who enjoy progressive music that marries the hallmarks of Porcupine Tree's modern-sounding material with the harmonies of Cure and A Perfect Circle should check this disc out. Selling Insincerity is one of the best debuts of the year along with Thought Chamber's Angular Perceptions and John Macaluso & Union Radio's The Radio Waves Goodbye.

Let me say that I agree that these musicians are definitely a talented bunch and create some great music ambience. However, I also must say that this is the most blatant imitation/copy of Porcupine Tree I've ever heard(In Absentia, Deadwing anyways, hence the 3 star review). As one reviewer said his g/f thought it was a S.W. project. That's because it sounds exactly like PT from the vocal style/timing to the bass & guitar interaction. If you dont believe me listen to Mother May I on A.G'g album then listen to So Called Friend by PT and try to tell me I don't have a point. After all that, we can hope these guys will be able to find their own voice on their next effort. If you just can't get enough PT buy this album and pretend it's them, =P

Peace

I'm really enjoying this album a lot. At first blush it sounds like a Porcupine Tree album which isn't a bad thing but after repeated listenings you pick up on the subtle nuances of their style and the music starts to separate itself somewhat from the PT comparison. The only track that makes me wince, at least as far as sounding like a complete ripoff of a PT song is Cerulean Blue which sounds a lot like the Creator Has a Mastertape from In Absentia. Having said that, I still dig the song. You know it wasn't that long ago that Steve Wilson was accused of ripping off Pink Floyd when Voyage 34 was released. He seems to have found his own voice and style thank you very much. They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. That may be true, but in this case this debut by Abigails Ghost goes beyond mere imitation. If you are a fan of PT or music in that style check this out. Its very good.

A well done musical compilation. The songs are complex and involved, yet amazingly easy to just listen to and enjoy. Waiting Room & Monochrome are great! Their commitment to excellence shows with this album.

I may be biased with this review, but I'll try and keep it simple. If you in any way like Porcupine Tree, Post-rock, Ambient-rock, Anathema etc etc, then please do yourself a favour and buy this CD. The guitar work, as mentioned elsewhere, is outstanding. My girlfriend actually thought she was listening to a Steven Wilson project; the playing, song-writing and production is that good. Go get it folks.

The debut album from neo progressive rock quiintet, Abigail's Ghost, is amazing in its ability to capture so many styles of music and meld them into something uniquely their own. In contrast to the album's title, the songs are filled with sincere and passionate lyrics ranging from the child abandonment and neglect of Cerulean Blue and the death of a loved one in Seeping to the bleak outlook on the state of music with Sellout. What really makes this effort so amazing is the age of these guys; they started writing this album while they were all still in high school. The drummer, John Patrick, is a 19 year old Berklee College of Music student, yet he plays like a seasoned studio veteran. The album begins with a wicked, carnival-esque piece called Mazurka with low bassy drones and featuring the mandolin. This lurches into one of the highlights of the album, Close. From beginning to end, this album captivates and shines with spots of brilliance throughout.

People seem obsessed - almost vitriolic - when comparing Abigail's Ghost to Porcupine Tree. I am a long-time devotee of PT and Steven Wilson. Had I not known otherwise, I might of though this CD to be one of his side projects (e.g. Blackfield). To be fair, I gave Abigail's Ghost an unbiased listening. Not too shabby as "neo-prog" units go. Then I loaded in PT's Nil Recurring. As of the first note, all comparisons fell away. No comparison, nada, not even close. Like the difference between mono and stereo. Porcupine Tree are deep and wide. They are an experienced and mature unit. AG's keys are agile and hold their own against most neo-prog units. But when put up against the incomparable sonoric master, Richard Barbieri, nope, not even a distant second. The same holds true for all SW's bandmates. Porcupine tree defy classification, perhaps create their own. So let's be clear: they are above and beyond prog, neo-prog or any other such nonsense. Thus, comparisons are unfair to anyone who might, by design or accident, mimic their sound. For that reason, I'm willing to give Abigail's Ghost the benefit of the doubt. Someone mentioned that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I'll go with that.

THE BAND: Joshua Theroit (vocals, guitars), Kenneth Wilson (bass), Brett Guillory (keyboards), Randy LeBoeuf (guitars), John Patrick (drums & percussion). Origin: Houma / New Orleans, LA.

THE DISC: (2007) 11 tracks clocking in at approximately 50 minutes. The case is tri-fold cardboard... no liner notes, no band photos, no song lyrics, etc. You'll find only a few odd photos and thank you's written on the case itself. All songs written by Theriot/Wilson/Guillory. Recorded at Axistudio, Metairie, LA. 6 of the 11 tracks here are featured on the band's 2007 EP releases "Seeping" and "Cerulean Blue". Label - Aesperus Music (independent).

COMMENTS: First and foremost - the obvious comparisons to Steven Wilson's band - Porcupine Tree (as well as his side project Blackfield). If you're listening to "Selling Insincerity" and liking it, and you haven't experienced Porcupine Tree... you're in for a real treat. First and foremost, you need to go check out the Tree's "In Absentia" (2002), or any of the Tree's albums from 1999 ("Stupid Dream") and after. If you're like me, being a long time fan of Porcupine Tree, you'll approach this album with hesitation and perhaps criticism (at first). This is a hard review to write for me - with Porcupine Tree being perhaps my favorite band over the last 7 or 8 years. I'm really sitting on the fence regarding Abigail's Ghost - are they a bonified act, or simply a wonderful tribute band?

With that being said, the music will grow on you with repeated spins. The members are talented and quite respectable on their instruments at such a young age (early to mid 20's). The layered guitars; the lush atmosphere galore; the intermittent lyrical mood swings - from light and whimsical to the downright nightmarish; song structure, vocal harmonies and delivery... everything here shouts Steven Wilson. Even the album artwork (cover photo) is in the same vein as a Porcupine Tree release. With that being said though - there's some good songs here and some very technical playing by Abigail Ghost members. If imitation is the highest form of flattery (as some say), then Steven Wilson would probably be gushing with pride and ultimately like what he's hearing.

As for the songs - my favorites here are "Monochrome" (a slower atmospheric track - simply a beautiful piece), "Sellout" (with it's ultra heavy rhythm guitars and blazing solo), and the album closer "Mother May I" (another slower song, but it has a heavy chugging beat and twisted lyrics). Several songs on "Selling Insincerity" mirror Porcupine Tree's 2002 release "In Absentia" (noted on AG's website as Kenneth Wilson's favorite album... Hmmm) - the 1st full length song here, "Close", reminds me of Porcupine Tree's "Trains" (a nice song with heavy emphasis on melody and acoustic guitar); "Love Sounds" cries out "Gravity Eyelids"; the song structure of "Dead Peoples Review" comes very close to "Blackest Eyes"; and "Cerulean Blue" is probably the clearest copycat of the Tree's "The Creator Has A Master Tape". Strangely, I find the title of this album "Selling Insincerity" befittingly ironic... the band needs to sell their album(s) in order to move on, and at the same time they're not being sincere to their art form by practically plagiarizing others. "Selling Insincerity" contains very capable playing and wonderfully melodic songs, but the album is severely lacking in the creativity and originality department. If there ever was a Porcupine Tree tribute band, Abigail's Ghost would be first on the list. I certainly want to hear more from Abigail's Ghost in the years to come... they have the talent and the musical chops to succeed. I just hope they can mold and manufacture more of their own sound on future releases (4 stars).

Great debut from this American soiled band. These guys have a lot of musical talent and is displayed on this release. However, with all the talent they possess they failed to make a mark of distinction. Selling Insincerity sounds waaaaay too much like Porcupine Tree. I believe that if this band could muster the creativity to separate themselves from being compared with PT they will go far. Again, the talent is there, but they need to create their own sound. With that in mind, I gave this debut release a 4 star because even if it does sound like PT...hell, its still great music. So if you like PT you can't go wrong picking up Selling Insincerity by Abigails Ghost.