The Fierce and the Dead - If It Carries On Like This We Are Moving To Morecambe

A couple of posts ago I mentioned that this album is coming, and yesterday it was released in its entirety. I’ve had the chance to listen to Flint and 10x10 before the full release was made available. What you will read today is a blow-by-blow as I listen through the album. This will be the first time for every song apart from Flint and 10x10. So if what I say doesn’t sound completely thought-through, it’s because it probably isn’t. Bear with me. I’m trying a slightly new avenue here.

Quick background. Matt Stevens, who I’ve blogged about a couple of times, is the guitar-spoke in this three spoke wheel of progressive music. The other two guys I don’t know well musically (or otherwise), except that Kevin Freazy is also the guy in the control room for Matt’s Ghost album.

Also note that I have been listening to Audioslave before listening to this, so excuse me if I’m still tuned into a hyperdrive guitar-player; Tom Morello, but I’ll do my best to stay objective! Oh – and my player is on shuffle, so we’ll be hopping around.

 

The Wait, track 3.

Arpeggio style melodic ballad. Really liking the tone of the guitar (think Coldplay), and waiting for the vocals to kick in, every now and again. Gotta remember this is an instrumental outfit! Beautiful.

Andy Fox, track 10.

I’m still not sure how one chooses a name for an instrumental track, so I’m hoping to find a clue here. Piano. Good. Note – it’s interesting how someone’s solo album can have a completely different feel than a collaboration, where he is still the main melodic element. The good think about this as a ambient track is that there is enough texture and shape to the melody to keep one interested, as some ambient genres are nothing but sound thrown in a mixer. I get a distinct Pink Floyd feel here. It builds and builds into a moody, dark guitar track. Could work very well in a psycho drama as a soundtrack, or just for those weird Sunday afternoons. Andy Fox must be a strange guy.

Part 2, Track 2

Good old 2/4 with root-bass, with a 4-chord progression intro. Hey, 40 years of rock can’t be wrong. Foot’s tapping. Matt’s arpeggio’s coming through. I’ve decided he plays a Telecaster, but I can be wrong. Again, just slightly out of key chord-progessions-ala-Sting or cross-over rock-jazz. It keeps the listener on edge, and also warns of the impending crescendo of rock at 02:10. Lovely stuff. And kicking live drumming. I’m so glad there are ambient bands with live drummers! There’s no discernable melody to these songs, per se, yet it keeps you listening.

Woodchip, Track 8

Ok. They have a synth.

10x10, Track 9

Mid-tempo rock arpeggios. This could possibly define their sound, with added jazz sensibilities. But the beat will get the rockers listening. Slightly angst-filled arpeggios goes into a awesome 80’s progressive electronica vibe, interlaced with rock. Good playing by all involved, but so reserved and mature, it’s not even funny. That main lick is seriously catchy, without getting annoying. Close to the top track so far.

Hotel No. 6, Track 5

It’s ambient guitar sounds. Take your smack, or drink your coffee or get your fix on this. Or meditate and elevate and all that. This tune is perfect for that. It’s eerily beautiful, seriously.

Flint, Track 1

Ok, something big is coming. A crescendo that keeps going. Almost white sound, with dreamy guitar sounds floating in the upper areas of the spectrum… Then some bass. I like that, it gets the song grounded. Aha. Almost dance beat kicking in with gorgeous guitar lick to match. Pretty rad. It moves into a middle 8 where the bass goes all-out overdrive, and the rest remains child-friendly clean sounds. Clever. Foot-tapping so far.

Daddies Little Helper, Track 7

The moment the song starts I think “Police”, and more specifically, “Andy Summers”. A great upbeat tune, with beautiful melodies, and hooohah! , a tenor sax/clarinet thrown in. Lovely stuff. Clever, and properly into some New York jazz territories, with a flair of English guitar rock. Gorgeous song. Three quarters through it hits experimental notes again with sounds and quirkiness, but it works. Lekker tune.

Landcrab, Track 6

Holy. Enter their hard-rock prog roots. Almost industrial sounding bass and drums. Fast too! This is a seriously kicking rock tune. I can’t help but want Matt to kick into a nice “clean” solo, rather than the obscured, low-down sound in the mix, but that’s just me. And it’s short. I really think this song had a lot to give, if Matt could kick up some dirt here with a nasty solo.

H.R. , Track 4

“Radiohead” comes to mind. Neurotic progression over clean bass and drums. It progresses to a heavier edge and end. Again, good tune.

In conclusion I have to say that the average guy who doesn’t like instrumental rock, or ambient music, would probably be ambivalent about this album to start of with, but I have to say, this is as accessible as it’s gonna get for a lot of people. Beautiful progressions integrated with dissonance, where appropriate, being very progressive, yet at the same time steering away from being different for the sake of being different. Mature music, for sure.

I would add that I would mind a break-away melodic guitar solo or even ambient sounding vocals here and there, as there is a limit to how many tunes the band can turn out with this specific recipe. Having said that, this is a great album, and you’ll do well to check it out.

About the title: for those not familiar with it, Morecambe is a town in North England. Not having been there, it’s not quite possible for me to ascertain if there is a serious pun in there, or a punch-line, but I like the title nonetheless.