Rating: 3 Pulses
If music could be said to be trying too hard, these guys may have accomplished it.
Hearts is another example of how the concept of “Rock ’N’ Roll” has killed rock ’n’ roll. The album depressingly begins with a poor example of songwriting and exceptionally bland production titled “Lets Get High.”
Although I won’t say I’m opposed to the idea, the song fails to strike me, as the textures it creates seem devoid of a certain richness I’ve become accustomed to from other quality albums.?
The album suffers from a tonal deficiency far more than it deserves.
The basic structure within the album indicates the band’s intentions were in the right place. They seem to be trying to create sound fields and textures that would be aurally stimulating. Instead, the mix translates to my ears as a digitally clear picture of sterility.?
What’s even more depressing about this album is that it doesn’t seem to go anywhere. It completely lacks the dynamics, catchiness and progression that most classic albums seem to contain. Not one part of the entire album causes me to want to turn the speakers up. No instrument is doing anything inventive, and none of the sounds are impressive enough to possibly help you forget the boringness of the musical and songwriting content.?
Track four, “The Oyster is a Wealthy Beast,” blew my mind when it faded into near silence for almost 30 seconds. Is this “art” for the sake of art?
The next song “Capaldi” eventually crescendos into a low tempo groove that seems way too preplanned to possibly be entertaining.
Both cases are examples of how this album is a textbook representation of the thousands of bands who get lost in the glimmer of rock ’n’ roll idealism and lose track of why they were playing the music in the first place.
In general, The Court and Spark’s album, Hearts, just doesn’t have the sound and feel of a group of musicians who are playing as a unit and paying the attentions necessary for fluid cohesion and connections of sounds to occur.
Although I believe this album to be very poor sonically and not generally worth listening to as anything but background music, I do believe that the band would be worth checking out. Conceptually, their musical style seems to be attempting to create some pretty unique sounds, so, it would be interesting to see how they blend live.
I can only imagine it would sound better than the album.
The Court and Spark will play The Grand Palace on Tuesday, May 30, with The Carter Administration and Hands Down Eugene.
At the show, it should be clear very quickly whether this band has potential for future success.
