Customer Reviews

What We All Come to Need

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Wow. Another excellent release from Pelican! What We All Come To Need surpassed my expectations, and it was hard for me not to give this album a full 5 stars, but I don't do so lightly. If I could give quarter or half stars, this would probably come in around 4 1/4 or 4 1/2. The songs are absolutely incredible, and show Pelican continuing to move in a new direction (in the same vein as City of Echoes and the Ephemeral EP). They definitely do not have the same, slow sludge sound that they mastered on their self-titled debut EP and Australasia, but that certainly isn't a bad thing. They still possess all the heaviness of their previous records, but have expanded it by adding new sonic tools to their arsenal. The drumming is much more noticeable (as it was on Ephemeral) and adds faster rhythms to the mixture, and the guitar riffs are very complex - some of the best of their career. As it seemed to be with their approach on City of Echoes, they absolutely pack as many nasty licks into each measure as possible.

The album opens with a bang on "Glimmer," slowly building up soundwaves and then crashing your eardrums in waves. Fans might notice that the track "Ephemeral" was actually present on the EP of the same name. In the past, Pelican has released different versions of the songs for their EPs, and then presented a trimmer, more cut-down version of the track on the LP. However, this version of "Ephemeral" appears to be nearly the same track, although it does sound ::slightly:: different, as if they maybe re-recorded it for the LP. But the difference is not as pronounced as the EP and LP versions of "March into the Sea" for example. The track "An Inch Above Sand" was actually released on the split 7" with Young Widows on the Temporary Residence label as part of Young Widows' 4-part split series (also excellent). However, unless you have a USB turntable handy, that track was vinyl-only. So it's nice to have it in this format as well. And trust me: there is plenty of new music here to go around. Check out Pelican's Myspace page - they're streaming the entire album right now if you want to listen to it before purchasing it.

The most notable moment on this album is the last track, "Final Breath" which represents a completely new musical attempt from Pelican, because it actually has vocals. Sung by a guest performer, Allen Epley, the lyrics are great. It was a little difficult to listen to at first, because Pelican held out so long without doing a song with vocals. However, after listening to it once or twice, I find that it is a great finale to the album. This is not an attempt at selling out, and it certainly does not throw Pelican into the mix with other screaming metal bands. The words are actually sung, not growled or screamed as one might predict. However, the lyrics blend amazingly. Also featured are guest performances by Aaron Turner of Isis (guitar), Ben Verellen (bass), and Greg Anderson (guitar).

The special edition, available exclusively at Southern Lord, includes a bonus DVD and is limited to an edition of 2000. I would recommend picking up a copy of this version while they're available. These guys are arguably the hardest working musicians in the business, releasing an EP or an album at least once a year, as well as extensively touring. I would highly recommend seeing them in concert if you get the chance, especially since they tend to play with other excellent bands from the Hydrahead and Southern Lord labels, and they keep their prices on everything way down to make it affordable for everyone. Great release!

I love this album. I loved it since the first melody hit my ears. I've followed Pelican since about 2004-2005 and they quickly became one of my all time favorite bands with The Fire In Our Throats...(their 2nd full length LP). From Fire In Our Throats to City Of Echos and now What We All Come to Need there is a clear progression in quality. The recording quality and delivery has never been better. The mixing has never been better and the drums and bass have come up to make the whole experience more cohesive. Content wise, I feel every Pelican album has its ups and downs. I never expect to love every riff and every minute because there's so much. I get the same experience listening to jazz. There's just so much to hear in every song (there always is) that some parts are gonna stand out among others. Also Pelican have been delivering soul jarring melodies on guitar since Austrlasia, and nothings changed. Thank god the guys haven't run out of ideas, it is apparent that this cd contains equally as many astounding parts as any previous release, with a whole new, warmer feeling. Just look at the album art- this isn't a billowing, lofty first release (Australasia) it isn't a sky blue, fresh, crisp and invigorating album (Fire In Our Throats)- nor is it manganese-black drowning and destructive with shimmers of delicacy thrown in (City Of Echoes) - this is a warm and inviting album. It is all encompassing, the heavy parts grab you rather than hit you hard. It is a great experience. My favorite tracks are Glimmer, The Creeper, Strung Up From The Sky and Final Breath. This is a 5 star band. They're classic. Every release shows a different state of music, but really neither is better or worse- there's just early and later. It's rare to find a band where every album is worth listening to, but here you've found one.

Pelican are one of a few bands out there creating real instrumental music in the rock world, most instrumental music being jazzier stuff. Not including individuals like the Most High Jeff Beck, so much instrumental rock has been nothing but exercises in wanking that may showcase phenomenal speed and dexterity, but turgid songwriting capabilities.

In the early '60's, instrumental rock had its heyday, where bands created real musical pieces, not just lead guitar work. In fact, until the Beatles came on the scene, if you wanted guitar rock, you had to check out the Beach Boys, Dick Dale and a number of other surf bands to get what you were looking for. Perhaps the Ventures were the most successful of the instrumental bands, who finally received their induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame recently.

So what does this have to do with Pelican? Actually, plenty. Although Pelican is a very heavy outfit, they have wisely crafted a sound that is about the song, and there is no lead work whatsoever on "What We All Come To Need". Like their predecessors, they favor atmosphere and groove, creating a CD that non-musicians can dig as much as any wanker out there. While this reviewer hasn't been familiarized with the band's influences, it's a safe bet they've paid attention to the early '60's period, where, in the case of Dick Dale and The Ventures, words weren't necessary.

Guitar is the bedrock of all rock music and Pelican give that hallowed instrument the attention it deserves. Heavy enough to satisfy the most obnoxious headbanger, yet melodic enough to appeal to a broader audience, which they deserve. A little tempo variation and a lick or two would spice it up, though, as long as they refrained from overdoing it.

I am listening to the vinyl version of this and whatever that other guy says about the mastering is absurd unless he was already listening to an inferior copy on mp3 or cd. I think this is the best work Pelican have done and I am in absolute love with it. The problem with most metal/post-rock albums is if you aren't careful it can turn into background music and not even notice its still on. I listen to a ton of this type of music and what we have here is really interesting this recording seems to juggle very well between being atmospheric and being at the very forefront of your attention; this is the type of sound that keeps you interested. It's great because it grabs you and demands that you listen to it actively. This is fantastic I decided to listen to it before I wrote this and just side 1 of 4 is tough to even concentrate on what I am writing its so powerful.

Either way, this music can speak for itself. Grab your favorite drug or listen to this sober it will be a worthwhile trip I promise.

I think I might be one the only people that disagrees with the quality of recording being better on this album. While it's no secret that the drums aren't the most impressive feature of the band, I expected the guitars to sound much tighter and crisper than they did on this album. Instead, the guitars sound very sludgy, and memorable riffs kind of get lost in the fold of redundancy. City of Echoes, their prior release, showcased not only better recording quality for the guitars, but better riffing as well. There is not one track on this album that can hold a candle to tracks like "City of Echoes," "Far from Fields," and "Spaceship Broken-Parts Needed." While it's not exactly a bad listen, nothing on this album is really memorable, and that's not what I've come to expect from Pelican.

Pelican's 2005 album THE FIRE IN OUR THROATS WILL BECKON THE THAW is a post-metal classic. WHAT WE ALL COME TO NEED is not nearly as impressive. The "songs" are shorter, and sound more like conventional metal riffs, while the earlier album clearly combined GY!BE-style post-rock with metal and psychedelic influences.

The first two tracks, "Glimmer" and "The Creeper" are strong, but then WWACTN descends into stock riffing. There is a beautiful rising six-note guitar pattern at the 3-minute mark in "Specks of Light" which returns at the end, followed by a brief electronic tape loop. There is a longer tape loop coda on the title track as well, a nice psychedelic moment, but these touches are not enough to lift the album beyond the "so-so" level. At 51 minutes long, across 8 tracks, it is only about 8 minutes shorter than TFIOTWBTT, but it feels much shorter.

The band moved from Hydra Head to Southern Lord for WWACTN, and I suppose they may be following the fans, I don't know -- it seems altogether likely that there are more metal fans than post-rock fans. But I hope Pelican returns to a grander sound, less constrained by conventional metal.

The album's art work as well as the vocals on the last track, "Final Breath," indicate the ongoing concern with global warming/climate change. The cover depicts a drowned, ruined world with a bright red atmosphere like Venus, and there is an inscription that reads "'Til the Seas Run Dry."

Post-metal has exploded since Pelican's early days. They were once a creative influence, but this album reveals their inspiration running dry. Time to break out of the rut!

I can't agree enough with the reviewer above who takes issue with the mastering of this record.

I like Pelican, and I think there is plenty in this record to hold the listener's attention and interest, regardless of the production. But I hope that artists will take this issue to heart and remember that the room in which the recording is made is a part of the identity of the recording, it needs to be respected because the ear hears music in the context of an (imagined) visual space.

Flattening out the instrumentation levels to artificially maximize the audio assault gives this record a claustrophobic feel, and compromises the finished product.

That said, it's a worthwhile record, and I recommend it.

I had avoided Pelican over the last few years of their rise to popularity; mostly due to not enjoying some of the clips I had heard from a previous album of theirs, "The Fire In Our Throats....". After picking up the new album, I can safely say that my opinion has been changed.

"What We All Come To Need" is full of oddly hypnotic and compelling instrumental post-metal music that can be compared to bands such as Isis, Nerosis and even SunnO))), and even features guest musicians from some of the aforementioned bands. It should be mentioned that this is definately not "drone" in the style of SunnO))-it is much more "musical" and akin to Isis. Pelican builds dense soundscapes with a variety of rhythmic guitar textures and interludes and manages to keep the audience interested despite the lack of guitar pyrotechnics (this style is the antithesis of old-school instrumental guitar albums a la Shrapnel Records). Give it a listen or two, and it will definately get you "hooked". Great driving music...highly recommended.

Pelican's new album offers nothing new, really. But I think on this album they excel at what they do. In fact, I would probably recommend this album to others who are just getting into Pelican. The high point in my opinion are the drums. They ROCK. The whole thing sound well produced. The only downer is the last song with vocals. It's not necessarily bad, I just don't want to hear vocals on a Pelican album.

After "City of Echoes" was released after a mostly stellar track record, I was slightly disenchanted by the Pelican formula; that is, there was nothing inherently offensive about the album, but to me it sounded like a band tired out from the stresses of the road who didn't invest as much time in the writing process that time around. I'm probably completely wrong, but it just struck me as the work of a bunch of guys who knew exactly what they were doing following a template. Their latest effort, and first for new record label Southern Lord, is a return to the grace and ambience missing from some of their recent output. There are times when it falters, but for the most part these guys sound in accordance, doing what they do best, crafting riff after riff of inspiring post-metal (how I loathe that term, but I'll use it here) that seldom bores and has you wondering what the last album had you asking "when's the vocalist going to come in?". Actually, the only vocal song is simply outstanding. A dirge that recalls the best of Ken Andrews' (Failure, Year of the Rabbit, On etc) work and doesn't feel tacked on or lazy in the slightest. One of my favorite songs of the year. Great work all around.