Friday, December 16, 2011

REVIEW: The War on Drugs - Slave Ambient



Grade: 93% (A)

To suggest that we are slaves to the ambience of our surroundings would be a little ridiculous. However, to suggest that we are slaves to the ambient sounds that The War on Drugs produce on their latest album would be anything but ridiculous. As it so happens, their newest LP is entitled Slave Ambient. What a coincidence. 

After listening to an album four or five times with careful consideration to the music each time, you can generally begin to pick out songs, even if they are not catchy or even good. However, after listening to Slave Ambient four or five times, I still could not discern one song, even one sound from another. That is how well produced and devised this record is. 

Each song incorporates strong rhythms with some superb guitar work. Working alongside those are some keyboard and saxophone work that dazes you and baselines that keep the whole operation on course. Top all of this off with a voice that blends in with everything all while making it's case to capture your spirit. 

While it all is "ambient" however, none of it is trippy. Well, some of it is trippy, but that is not the point the band is trying to get across. Besides trippy, it is more importantly penetrating and surrounding. The noises and sounds emanating from your headphones slides down your ear and into your lungs before your brain can even recognize it. After that first breath, you are filled with the songs presence. Only slow deep breaths can keep it from taking you over after this moment. 

You feel cloaked by the music and protected by the invisibility it provides you. With these sounds on your side, you can fall asleep if you want, or write a novel and no one will bother you because you cannot be harmed. They make you confident and expressive, while also being weary and guarded. You can truly look inside and discover not only things about yourself, but also about your interactions with other people. You can interpret other people, and what their thoughts are by just looking at them. You can judge a person with one look, and discern them as good or evil, or a little bit of both. In other words, Slave Ambient makes you feel empowered to think clearly in any which way you want. But in some way shape or form, none of this feels, or even is bad, because you know that it is just a feeling you are experiencing from the music, and any or all of these thoughts could be 100% true, or completely false. It all depends on your reflection after listening.

I swear I was not high when I wrote this review. 

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