Portugal. The Man - Church Mouth

Band: Portugal. The Man
Album: Church Mouth
Release Date: July 24, 2007
Label: Fearless



Three Word Review: Progressive, Blues, Transforming

Favorite Track: “Shade”
Why? It was a tough call. My original favorite track was “Bellies Are Full,” but “Shade” took this title. The vocal highs and lows get me every time. The lyrics are interested and almost twisted. Near the beginning of the track I can’t get enough of the section with the lyrics ‘shouted up to the Northern Territories.’

Least Favorite Track: “Sleeping Sleepers Sleep”
Why? It’s not a bad song, by any means, but it drags the album down in my opinion. It’s awfully slow in comparison to the new sound captured by the album. It has a nice pick up about a minute in, but the loop-sounding beat just doesn’t draw me in.

My Thoughts:
I was a big fan of “Waiter: ‘You Vultures!’” So, I was highly anticipating this album. When it came I was shocked to hear that it sounds very little like it’s predecessors. I’ve often thought that this is almost one half of “Waiter’s” sound, “It’s Complicated Being a Wizard” being the other. “Waiter” was a unique fusion of rock and programed synthesizers. It took a few listens to draw me in, but ultimately I was claimed as a fan. However, “Wizard” never quite got me. The rock sound had disappeared and the programmed beats too over. To me, it’s simple algebra, “Church Mouth” + “Wizard” = “Waiter.”

So, as I’ve said “Church Mouth” is a departure from earlier Portugal. The Man. It almost has a southern rock/blues sound to it, and its clear to see where some of the band’s influences come from. I like to think one of them is a personal favorite of mine, The Allman Brothers Band. You might be wondering, ‘what caused them to drop the heavy synth?’ Well, it was revealed in an interview, this progression came during a tour in Germany. Here, in the ‘States, bands typically have a few opens play first then have an hour set. In Germany P.TM was expected to play the entire show by themselves. No, not just a single one-hour set, but an entire three+ hour show. So, naturally they had to improvise and so this sound emerged as they jammed on stage for hours.

Why You Might Not Like It:
If you’re not a fan of blues rock or whining guitar this might not be your cup of tea. If the main reason you like P.TM was the synth, this might not tickle your fancy. If “It’s Complicated Being a Wizard” is your ideal progressive rock, you might want to steer clear, this time around. However, I say you should give it a try, you might not know if you’ll like it until you try it.

Final Say:
Definitely give it a listen! I’m very happy with what has come out of “Church Mouth.” It’s an interesting and compelling listen. I would like to see a return of the programmed beats in future releases, but I hope this sound sticks around. Also, the band’s art is very unique and interesting, you might want to check that out too. If you like it, I’ve heard they put on a hell of a show, so when they’re playing in town near you go check them out! I know I plan to.

Retroactive Reviews Continue

Since I missed a boatload of releases during my hiatus, I plan to catch up with at least a handful. If I keep it up you could be expecting them a few times a week, or at least a little more often than usual. So, the next review you can expect is “Church Mouth” from Portugal. The Man. It came out in late July and has earned plenty of listens from me since then. So, check back soon to read what I have to say about it!

Boys Night Out - Boys Night Out

Band: Boys Night Out
Album: Boys Night Out
Release Date: June 26, 2007
Label: Ferret Music



Three word review: Uneventful, Rehash, Uninspired

Favorite Track: “Get Your Head Straight”
Why? It’s first. Upon hearing it I didn’t realize how much I disliked this album, yet. It is hard for me to pick out another song that I actually enjoy. If anything it might be “The Heirs of Error” for its mix of screaming, melody, and group chorus.

Least Favorite Track: “Fall for the Drinker”
Why? It is boring, and drudges along too slowly. Connor Lovat-Fraser’s voice is too whiney and the duo vocals with Pasalic aren’t much better. Like most of the songs on this album, I think it should have been cut.

My thoughts:
I’m very underwhelmed with this album. To tell you the truth, it is one of the reasons I stopped reviewing albums here. I had absolutely no desire to even attempt a long write-up on it, so, I never did. It is as if instead of following their own creative ambition, found on “Trainwreck,” they listened only to the criticisms. They took a giant leap backwards with this self-titled. It is as I’ve said, uneventful and a complete rehash of 2003’s “Make Yourself Sick.”

The musical progression found on the 2005 concept release is no where to be seen here. It is a completely forgettable release. While it shares the musical style of it’s older brother, it lacks it’s freshness. What was delightful about “MYS” is worn out and tired here. My musical tastes have changed, a lot, since 2003 and this just isn’t for me. I still enjoy “MYS” but it is largely due to nostalgia. I played the hell out of that album, so it sticks with me as a point in time for my life, this self-titled doesn’t have that advantage.

Why you might like it:
If you are a huge fan of “Make Yourself Sick” and are still waiting for more, this is for you. The musical style is largely the same. Also, if you were a hater of “Trainwreck,” pleading for a return to the ‘norm,’ this may also be for you. If you are still a big fan of the likes of Armor For Sleep or Senses Fail this may also be for you. I warn you however, if you used to love those types of bands but have since moved on to just liking them on a nostalgic basis, you won’t find much here either.

Final Say:
Listen at your leisure, or don’t. If you haven’t heard this yet I’m not advising you to rush out and pick it up, by any means. In fact, unless you’re absolutely dying for “Make Yourself Sick B-Sides,” (and I mean b-sides, as in not good enough to make the original album) I’d say don’t even bother.

Still Alive, Barely Kicking

I’m not dead, I just got lazy, and you probably stopped checking for updates. In fact, I’m probably writing this for no one!

However, I’m making a triumphant return with results that are most likely going to revel in mediocrity. Inspired by the riveting 3 word review over at Taciturn (there’s still some activity over there, too), I’m bringing back Audiosyncratic in a short, yet wonderfully digestible format. And I’ll be picking up right where I left off! Which means that for now you can expect reviews from albums you’ve heard months ago.

So, you can expect (soon) an abbreviated review of the latest (okay months and months old, now) and not-quite-greatest from Boys Night Out. Also, to reduce the maid vibe around here teaser posts (like this one) will be tagged as 'teaser.' Creative ehh? Well, check back soon!

Upcoming This Week

This week I'll be reviewing the newest self-titled from Boys Night Out. Going into the review I'm very curious to see what they have to offer now. I was initially drawn to them by "Make Yourself Sick" then was putoff by the concept album "Trainwreck" However, over a year later I returned to it to really enjoy it. So, hopefully they've been able to maintain their distinctive sound and forge a path forward towards maturity.

Also, I've decided to include the album art in my posts from here on out. I was planning on starting a few week ago, but I forgot the first week with "On Letting Go" from Circa Survive. And last week, the album art for "Truth in Sincerity" was just to plain and boring to bother with. Check back later this week for the review.

Amber Pacific – Truth In Sincerity

Band: Amber Pacific
Album: Truth In Sincerity
Release Date: May 22, 2007
Label: Hopeless

“Truth In Sincerity” is Amber Pacific’s second full-length release and third in total if you count their debut EP “Fading Days,” but do they deliver? In some sense yes they do, but unfortunately, in another they fall sadly short. If you’re a big fan of theirs then there is going to be a lot here for you. To come right out and say it, “Truth In Sincerity” is easily their best release to date, but it’s not without its faults. However, many of its faults are the fundamental shortcomings of the band overall.

The first aspect of Amber Pacific that separates the fans from the haters is lead singer Matt Young’s voice. He’s got a very distinct, yet bland voice that funnels listeners into love it and hate it groups. After just one song you’ll be able to determine if you like his voice and if you do then it’s time to progress to the rest of the depth of the record, however, if you fall into the latter category, you might just want to turn off the CD. Young’s voice is prominent throughout the entire disc so if you aren’t a fan it will bring down the whole experience.

So, if Young has passed your vocal litmus test, there’s just about one thing you can expect from “Truth In Sincerity” (besides a cheesy title), and that’s typical power chord fueled emo tinged pop-punk. What Amber Pacific lacks fundamentally is depth. There just isn’t much to their sound; musically, lyrically, or vocally. However, that doesn’t necessarily make for a bad experience.

The disc opener “Rule #76”’s brooding piano driven sound will tell you absolutely nothing about what you’re getting into. It’s the absolute definition of the pointless or unrelated introduction; it doesn’t even execute its transition to “Summer (In B)” very well. What follows, however, is plain old good pop-punk fun. Songs like “You’re The Only One,” “Take Me From This Place,” and “Watching Over Me” seem to be struck from the very same vein as other pop-punk acts like (the original) Good Charlotte or Story of the Year.

The ninth track “We Think We’re Hardcore, Cause Well, We Are” is just about as pointless as it gets. It is 45 wasted seconds of flow ruining guitar sweeps and ominous bells. I suppose its almost a funny jab at hardcore, but it really just derails any continuity of the CD. Speaking of continuity, that’s another aspect that will divide potential fans. Depending on how you look at it, “Truth In Sincerity” is either, very solid and consistent, or straight up monotonous and repetitive. Almost all of the tracks sound similar and there is no clear distinction on the whole.

“Truth In Sincerity” makes for a good car ride and is an excellent summer listen. However, like I’ve no doubt made clear, there are several aspects of this release that will serve as tipping points that will either endear this CD to fans or drive listeners away. It is an improvement from their previous works (with some stupid exceptions like “We’re Hardcore”) and for that I give them some credit. But, in no way do they seem to be striving to evolve from their generic songs about heartache. If you can stand Young’s voice, take it for what it is (basic pop-punk) and there’s a solid chance you’ll enjoy it.

The Format Summer Tour!

I haven't made it apparent here, yet, but if you know me, you know that The Format is just about my favorite band ever. Their summer tour is right around the corner and I can't wait! I've already got my tickets preordered to see them in New York City, at the Starland Ballroom, and in Philadelphia at the Trocadero! That's right, I'll be seeing them three times this summer, and it'll be three days in a row! So, you can expect to see lots of coverage of their shows, including lots of stuff about their supporting bands including Steel Train, Reubens Accomplice, Piebald, and Limbeck!


Tickets for most of the shows are going on sale tomorrow, so if you're interested in seeing them in a city near you be sure to order tickets soon!