Search - Aereogramme :: Seclusion

An Epic!

David J. Miller | Pflugerville, TX United States | 04/04/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is their first true masterpeice! They keep progressing with each release and this one far exceeds their previous work. 6 tracks 32min."

More greatness from the Scots

Guillaume Vetaux | El Paso, TX | 09/02/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Aereogramme is a criminally underrated band from Scotland who certainly doesn't know what going with the flow means. Just try to listen to their 2 previous albums, and you'll understand what I mean. Just when you think you've got them all figured out, they always surprise you with something completely different. Their first two albums could be considered, in my opinion, as the missing link between Biffy Clyro, Oceansize and Placebo. "Seclusion" adds another dimension to their music: walls of sounds that hit you like a brick, easily comparable to what Isis has been doing lately. The result is a wonderfully eclectic EP, from the noisy popiness of "Inkwell" and "Lighning Strikes The Postman" (amazing Flaming Lips cover), the haunting beauty of "Dreams and Bridges" and "The Unravelling", or the uber-gorgeous "I Don't Need Your Love".

Even more than "A Story In White" or "Sleep And Release", Aereogramme's "Seclusion" leaves you so impressed that you'll wonder how you could go on for so long without knowing about this band.

Buy it."

7.5/10

Rifugium | Newtown Square, PA | 12/06/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I discovered Aereogramme just recently though the "Fishtank" collaboration with Isis (see corresponding review). It was indeed an interesting discovery, and _Seclusion_ subsequently became the first thing I sampled from the band. Clocking in at just over 30 minutes, I'm not really sure if this is considered an EP as opposed to a full-length album, but that's just a triviality. I have to say that I'm pretty impressed with the material on this album; very diverse, very progressive.



The album starts with the very "alternative" song "Inkwell," which, catchy at it is, seemed a bit of a weak introduction to me at first. I'm just glad I was open-minded enough to keep listening, because if all the other songs sounded similar to this one, I probably would have lost interest quickly. Things get much more interesting with the following track "Dreams and Bridges," which is more dark and meticulous, with the end of the song moving into a more heavy realm. "The Unravelling" is my favorite track, and I'd even be so bold as to call it a masterpiece...at least as far as 2006 is concerned. It begins with the sound of a film reel, a melodious, brooding acoustic guitar, and continues on with soft yet sinister vocals, driving bass lines spiked with electronic noises, and an enticing string section, all concluding with a fit of screaming and the final "unravelling" of the film reel heard in the beginning. At this point, I didn't forget that I didn't care for the first track; instead I realized that it plays its own role in the album, and that Aereogramme--as all good bands--don't care to confine themselves to just a single sound or style. "I Don't Need Your Love" is a nice ballad complete with chimes and soothing synths. Also included is an interesting, fuzzed-out cover of the Flaming Lips' "Lightning Strikes the Postman" in which Aereogramme takes a brief moment to display some shredding skills. The album closes with a stunningly haunting instrumental entitled "Alternate Score." In the end, you realize that within the short 32 minutes of the album, you've taken an entire journey, gotten delightfully lost along the way in a whimsical countryside, and benefited greatly from the experience.



Also included on the album is a short film (entitled "Seclusion") that is accompanied in one version by "Dreams and Bridges" and in another by "Alternate Score." It's a bit creepy, but I didn't really care for it. Obviously, as an independent film, it's not very high budget, but it seems too much of a rip-off of _The Ring_, and it's just...well it's already been said: I didn't care for it. Both songs seem to sync up rather well with the video though.



You should be able to find this album (or EP, or whatever it is) fairly cheap, so it makes for a good impulse buy. It should appeal to fans of edgy, alternative rock bands, prog rock, and post-rock alike. It has definitely gotten me interested in the band, and I'll have to check out some of their other albums within the near future."