I haven't seen any posts regarding Elvenking's new album, Two Tragedy Poets and A Caravan of Weird Figures, so I figured I'd x-post (from the EK forum) my review I wrote just today. Please feel free to let me know how you liked it.
So its taken some time, but I have finally formed an opinion I can comftorably say I can stand by for the long haul when it comes to Elvenkings new album. I tried to wait until everything had a chance to really sink in, instead of blindly saying WOW THIS IS JUST THE UTTERS BUTTER. No, I have no idea what it means, I just made it up.
I went through a few thoughts with this album when it was announced to when it was released through the time I started listening to it to now. When it was announced that Elvenking was going to be doing an acoustic album, I was excited, because they do it extremely well. The way the band had presented it, and talked about it, it was almost like yes, were releasing it, but its kind of a side project. This really kind of gave me a weird vibe about the album, especially coupled with the fact that it was being released so soon after The Scythe. But more info was released, and samples were sent out, and at that time, I was extremely pleased with what I was hearing. It was great! I loved The Scythe, and consider it a great Elvenking album, and Two Tradgety Poets was sure to follow it as another amazing piece of work.
The album was released, and due to budget constraints, I wasnt able to get it until a month later. I popped it in and it was entirely worth the wait. The songs are incredibly well written, the music is tight, and the feeling of magic is on this CD. I didnt really know how to take this release though, should it be the next Elvenking CD? An Elvenking side project? Sister CD to The Scythe? Now I know. Its a stand alone Elvenking CD, the release following The Scythe.
Having been released months, instead of years, after the previous album, one would probably expect the CD to sound rushed, pushed out, and otherwise lower quality than a real time crafted album that bands release and fine tune for months. Especially when on a 13 track CD, you have 2 acoustic versions of old songs, 2 tracks under 2 minutes, and one cover.
This CD is nothing like that. It seems the music and the lyrics were thoughtfully composed for a long time, fine tuned and crafted with the perfection of over the bands 9 years. Exactly like we were promised. The CD case proclaims that this album could be an experiment. I could have done without all of the explanations from the band in regards to this as one listen proves that this is a release. This is music, this is the spirit of Elvenking. I think the explanations detract and distract from that. They kind of stole the albums identity from me for a while.
We may never get another album from the band that sounds like this, and that is perfectly fine with me. This album is perfect the way it is, and I dont want another one, the way I dont want Heathenreel part 2. People who didnt enjoy The Scythe because of the lack of folk influences cannot say the same about Two Tragedy Poets, to be sure, and while I thought there was plenty of Elvenkings sound in Scythe, TTP proves once and for all the Elvenking does a folk influenced sound like no other. Unique, fresh, intelligent, engaging and magical are all words I could use to describe TTP.
I could go on and give an opinion on each song, but things like that get done to death. Instead, I will simply say that the level of musicianship on this album strikes me as absolutely incredible. Everyone has improved a great deal over the course of their musical careers, Damna especially has fine tuned his singing, and has lost that rough and raw quality present from Heathenreel (which, as Ive said several times previously, was PERFECT for that album). Im always astounded by the musical ability of this band.
Just a few quick notes:
I think it was incredibly brave to cover Heaven is a Place on Earth I now crank this tune and sing it in my car without feeling ashamed in the least.
The Winter Wake Acoustic is going to be my new favorite Elvenking song. Sorry Regality Dance.
Miss Conception and Ask a Silly Question are both songs that are amazingly fun to sing along with.
Not My Final Song I imagine this was written to be a Live show-stopper. I mean.. how can the band NOT play this song to a crowd?
There you have it. Two Tragedy Poets and A Caravan of Weird Figures is, in my opinion, Elvenkings greatest album released yet.
So its taken some time, but I have finally formed an opinion I can comftorably say I can stand by for the long haul when it comes to Elvenkings new album. I tried to wait until everything had a chance to really sink in, instead of blindly saying WOW THIS IS JUST THE UTTERS BUTTER. No, I have no idea what it means, I just made it up.
I went through a few thoughts with this album when it was announced to when it was released through the time I started listening to it to now. When it was announced that Elvenking was going to be doing an acoustic album, I was excited, because they do it extremely well. The way the band had presented it, and talked about it, it was almost like yes, were releasing it, but its kind of a side project. This really kind of gave me a weird vibe about the album, especially coupled with the fact that it was being released so soon after The Scythe. But more info was released, and samples were sent out, and at that time, I was extremely pleased with what I was hearing. It was great! I loved The Scythe, and consider it a great Elvenking album, and Two Tradgety Poets was sure to follow it as another amazing piece of work.
The album was released, and due to budget constraints, I wasnt able to get it until a month later. I popped it in and it was entirely worth the wait. The songs are incredibly well written, the music is tight, and the feeling of magic is on this CD. I didnt really know how to take this release though, should it be the next Elvenking CD? An Elvenking side project? Sister CD to The Scythe? Now I know. Its a stand alone Elvenking CD, the release following The Scythe.
Having been released months, instead of years, after the previous album, one would probably expect the CD to sound rushed, pushed out, and otherwise lower quality than a real time crafted album that bands release and fine tune for months. Especially when on a 13 track CD, you have 2 acoustic versions of old songs, 2 tracks under 2 minutes, and one cover.
This CD is nothing like that. It seems the music and the lyrics were thoughtfully composed for a long time, fine tuned and crafted with the perfection of over the bands 9 years. Exactly like we were promised. The CD case proclaims that this album could be an experiment. I could have done without all of the explanations from the band in regards to this as one listen proves that this is a release. This is music, this is the spirit of Elvenking. I think the explanations detract and distract from that. They kind of stole the albums identity from me for a while.
We may never get another album from the band that sounds like this, and that is perfectly fine with me. This album is perfect the way it is, and I dont want another one, the way I dont want Heathenreel part 2. People who didnt enjoy The Scythe because of the lack of folk influences cannot say the same about Two Tragedy Poets, to be sure, and while I thought there was plenty of Elvenkings sound in Scythe, TTP proves once and for all the Elvenking does a folk influenced sound like no other. Unique, fresh, intelligent, engaging and magical are all words I could use to describe TTP.
I could go on and give an opinion on each song, but things like that get done to death. Instead, I will simply say that the level of musicianship on this album strikes me as absolutely incredible. Everyone has improved a great deal over the course of their musical careers, Damna especially has fine tuned his singing, and has lost that rough and raw quality present from Heathenreel (which, as Ive said several times previously, was PERFECT for that album). Im always astounded by the musical ability of this band.
Just a few quick notes:
I think it was incredibly brave to cover Heaven is a Place on Earth I now crank this tune and sing it in my car without feeling ashamed in the least.
The Winter Wake Acoustic is going to be my new favorite Elvenking song. Sorry Regality Dance.
Miss Conception and Ask a Silly Question are both songs that are amazingly fun to sing along with.
Not My Final Song I imagine this was written to be a Live show-stopper. I mean.. how can the band NOT play this song to a crowd?
There you have it. Two Tragedy Poets and A Caravan of Weird Figures is, in my opinion, Elvenkings greatest album released yet.
