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Written by tinfoil
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Sunday, 07 September 2008 04:49
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For a band, being compared to the likes of Radiohead, Bob Dylan and Oasis can be a great compliment. It can also be intimidating. I'd also like to throw in names like Screaming Trees and a somewhat less happy Paul Westerberg.
To say Unknown Component is easy on the ears would be an understatement. In Direct Communication flows out of the speakers smoothly with everything in its place. Songs such as Somewhere A Light Has Gone Out paint surprising and complex pictures with unusual melodies that work oh-so-well together.
Keith Lynch's vocals are edgy & gruff bringing a harsh but not unpleasant note to the songs that plays well against the meticulously arranged bleakness. Indeed, were his vocals more in-line with the style of music, it wouldn't likely stand out as much nor sound as original or new.
Typically one-man bands will favour a single instrument while the rest are dragged along in the background. Not so with Keith. While he shines on the keys, everything is well arranged and in its proper place.
I do have to fault Keith for the sound quality. With this album being his seventh kick at the can, I feel he could have done a better job. It sounds somewhat like listening through ears stuffed with cotton balls. While this style of music does sometimes benefit from a somewhat compressed frequency range, this disc overdoes that somewhat which takes away some from the material at hand.
Overall, In Direct Communication is a welcome change. Somewhat bleak and sparse musically with wonderful melodies and Keith's almost Dylan-esque vocals make for a disc the likes of which haven't been heard in a long time. Links:
http://unknowncomponent.com/
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