Search - Thought Industry :: Short Wave on a Cold Day

It's freezing; I'm burning up.

Daniel Thompson | West Lafayette, Indiana United States | 12/11/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Overall this should (and will) be hailed as Thought Industry's crowning achievement. It skirts the edge of both their worlds, the manic insanity and stream of conscious lyricism of their first three records, as well as the simple arrangement beauty and stark, personally bitter prose of 1997's Black Umbrella. All the while maintaining that indescribable left-field space rock sound that Thought Industry has either pioneered or compiled (re: stolen) from so many different bands that it is all but impossible to generate a list of contemporaries.The pinnacle point of the record comes about halfway through with "Lovers in Flames." Upon first inspection, a very simple acoustic track with the most scattered lyrics since "Blistered Text and Bleeding Pens" from '93's Songs For Insects. Subsequent listens expose rolling bass lines and nifty acoustic interplay that add immeasurable depth to terrifically simple chord progressions. Oberlin also tackles himself for the first time on the record, speaking of the "cancer reeds in his brain." In the song (and I guess in life) Brent is "okay, you know [he's] okay", so what does he do? He self-destructs with a petulant lover, strapping his "forehead to a landmine" and "run[ning] into a wall."My favorite band has just released what might soon become my favorite record. Already the best of 2001.DT"

Mellow like Black Umbrella, but much more lush

09/26/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Stylistically, this album falls somewhere between Outer Space Is Just A Martini Away and Black Umbrella, with heavy leanings toward the Black Umbrella end of the spectrum. If you are a Black Umbrella fan, or a fan of any of the mellow and/or acoustic material on Recruited To Do Good Deeds For The Devil, then you'll love Short Wave On A Cold Day. If Songs For Insects and Mods Carve The Pig are your favorite Thought Industry albums, then you'll probably be disappointed. In other words, Short Wave On A Cold Day cannot be called "heavy" in any sense of the word. Thought Industry's days of playing chaotic, progressive art metal seem to be long over, however, Short Wave still manages to showcase the signature Thought Industry songwriting style. Vocalist and founding member (and sole original member) Brent Oberlin has put together a new line up for this album, and they are all very capable musicians. Numerous tracks on the album are in fact written by the new members: gutiarist Mike Roche, keyboardist/guitarist Jeff Borkowski, drummer Cam Taylor and bassist Mark Baldwin. Oberlin's lyrics, both in format and content, have returned to the pre-Black Umbrella style, presented almost as a stream-of-consciousness time/space travelogue. The music here is much more lush than the stripped down sounds on Black Umbrella, employing thick layers of synthesizers and rich multi-part vocal harmonies. For me, stand out tracks include Satan In The Gift Shop, Lovers In Flames, Alien and Pure and The Waitress in the Bar Orbiting Io."

Short Wave

10/09/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Having been first introduced to Thought Industry during the Outer Space era...I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this album. And in fact, put off buying it for a few weeks, something i'd never done with umbrella or good deeds. Nevertheless i'm quite satisfied with this album, although it took quite a while to get used to. Brent, as always, writes his songs like what they are, poetry set to music. I greatly miss his classic "howl from hell" voice. But hey I can't say i'd be quite the fan of The Who that I am, if they had continued to milk the formula for "My generation". My best advice is to know what you're getting into with the album. If you're still a diehard fan of the powermetal T.I. just let this one slide. Even musicians grow up after all."