Friday, April 5, 2013

"E" is for...




Echolyn
ECHOLYN "echolyn"
 







Echolyn has never been an easy band to categorize in any musical niche, and that may explain their lack of commercial success, which I expect will continue on this latest eponymous release.

Disappointingly short for a double CD, with a somewhat muffled mix in spots, the album is filled with glorious harmonies that enshroud Ray Weston's melancholic, haunting lyrics and distinctive voice. Very much a Weston tour de force, with the other band members taking a back seat, there is an overwhelming, palpable sense of nostalgia in his words.
Fans looking for a major musical reinvention due to the long hiatus may be disappointed, as the eight songs divided over two discs do not really break new ground.

Echolyn’s music has a timeless quality about it that suggests it could have been produced at any time over the last four decades, but they have written beautiful melodies that grow on listeners patient enough to mine the music with repeated listenings.

The musicianship is top-notch, although the arrangements may be a mellower than previous efforts. With each disc clocking in at 35 minutes, there was no reason the whole body of work could not have fit onto a single disc.

Echolyn set out to create their definitive album, and while that may be reaching, it is a strong album.





BAND REHEARSAL
 



 

 


 

2 comments:

  1. Unfortunately, the second video is no longer available. I went ahead and searched for them though, and I liked what I heard. Never heard of them before, so thanks.

    The A to Z blog said in the latest post to add a link to your own A to Z blog in the comments, so here's mine: kristenhead.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'd never heard of them until today. I love it!

    Thanks for introducing me to some new (for me) music :)

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