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a review on Crash Test For Favourite Things submitted by trevf.
Crash Test For Favourite Things
We All Want To Be Just Like You
Review by trevf
This is the third recorded effort from this Auckland three-piece formed back in 2004
In terms of instrumentation this trio have a fairly large arsenal at their disposal, with all three members (bass/ guitar/ drums) sharing vocal duties and adding a heavy dose of keyboards and samplers.
As one might expect, then, this album makes good use of a variety of textures and obviously honed live approach. As such, opening track Guards is somewhat of a surprising and intriguing listen, being a down tempo, guitar-free keyboard heavy tune that puts one in mind (believe it or not) of an early, heavier, Split Enz. This blend continues to dominate over the first few tracks and reaches a peak on On MY Way Down and Interlude, by far the most considered and musically interesting tracks on the album.
A lot of prog influences can be heard throughout, with time signature changes and orchestral doom laden strings, but used to good effect. Vocally the sound is strong, and there is some great drumming, too.
The downside comes when the guitars start, and the second half of this album is dominated by the influence of Tool in particular, in terms of feel and vocals and lyrical concerns. Perhaps the lack of variations in tempo starts to drag too.
Plainly this is a band with a formidable range of musical options available to them, and with a plain intent of developing and evolving in terms of sound. This makes the next album an exciting prospect indeed.
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