Tides Resurface
Teenage Disco Bloodbath Records TDB 005 March 17th, 2005
By Jason Jordan
Last year, 2005 to be precise, was magnificent for instrumental post-rock. Not only did we see Pelican trouncing about on The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw, but Red Sparowes pitched in At the Soundless Dawn for good measure. As a matter of undisputable fact, when paired together, those two albums are nearly as strong as Hercules. And we cant forget the several laudable entries into the vocal-heavy Neurosis/Isis sludge/drone/doom/veggie/core subgenre. To get to the point, though, have you ever been swept away by Tides? Has Resurface ever held you under the water and, ironically, rendered you unable to resurface? Either way, this debut is a venerable tour de force that quite possibly upstages everything the above-mentioned bands unleashed this past year.
Fuck bullshit lead-ins; Resurface, after a brief fade-in, crashes down upon the listener, swishing and sloshing in all its might. The shrill crescendos are marvelous insomuch as they inject an unbridled sense of restlessness, angst, and rage into an otherwise content number. Once Resurface dissipates, however, thats when Tides are free to explore Isiss backyard. While By the Droves is a spacious, ambient showing, Aurora is where the true Oceanic comparisons are warranted. Though I wouldnt exactly deem this troupe energetic, all six songs on this CD are tantalizing in different ways. I mean, the first five minutes of Aurora are basically a focused lead-up to the main riff, which is more than able of supporting its own colossal weight. Sirens Fade is quite similar to By the Droves, but Wash Away eschews the previous ambience in favor of rolling waves, strengthened by the tight, well-produced drums. Take a breath at 3:05, because youll be diving under once again at 5:20. Tides knew Wash Away would twist and jerk you around more than a Tilt-a-Whirl, so they tossed in The Other Shore to ease the disorientation. Its a beautiful track possessing a calming effect and feels like a cool breeze on a hot summer day. That is, its welcome relief no matter how temporary.
Sadly, Tides are criminally underrated, and the impact of Resurface was more like a ripple than a heavy-duty splash. Of course the forerunners are the ones to uncover first, but this disc shouldnt be far behind the others on your shopping list. Even more disheartening than this albums sales performance is that this mob, according to a few sources, have called it a day. I can neither fully confirm nor fully deny this assertion, as the pertinent official sites have been all but abandoned. In any case, this is a fantastic debut destined to be in your collection. Steal a credit card and order it today!
9/10
Official Tides Website
Official Teenage Disco Bloodbath Records Website
Teenage Disco Bloodbath Records TDB 005 March 17th, 2005
By Jason Jordan
Last year, 2005 to be precise, was magnificent for instrumental post-rock. Not only did we see Pelican trouncing about on The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw, but Red Sparowes pitched in At the Soundless Dawn for good measure. As a matter of undisputable fact, when paired together, those two albums are nearly as strong as Hercules. And we cant forget the several laudable entries into the vocal-heavy Neurosis/Isis sludge/drone/doom/veggie/core subgenre. To get to the point, though, have you ever been swept away by Tides? Has Resurface ever held you under the water and, ironically, rendered you unable to resurface? Either way, this debut is a venerable tour de force that quite possibly upstages everything the above-mentioned bands unleashed this past year.
Fuck bullshit lead-ins; Resurface, after a brief fade-in, crashes down upon the listener, swishing and sloshing in all its might. The shrill crescendos are marvelous insomuch as they inject an unbridled sense of restlessness, angst, and rage into an otherwise content number. Once Resurface dissipates, however, thats when Tides are free to explore Isiss backyard. While By the Droves is a spacious, ambient showing, Aurora is where the true Oceanic comparisons are warranted. Though I wouldnt exactly deem this troupe energetic, all six songs on this CD are tantalizing in different ways. I mean, the first five minutes of Aurora are basically a focused lead-up to the main riff, which is more than able of supporting its own colossal weight. Sirens Fade is quite similar to By the Droves, but Wash Away eschews the previous ambience in favor of rolling waves, strengthened by the tight, well-produced drums. Take a breath at 3:05, because youll be diving under once again at 5:20. Tides knew Wash Away would twist and jerk you around more than a Tilt-a-Whirl, so they tossed in The Other Shore to ease the disorientation. Its a beautiful track possessing a calming effect and feels like a cool breeze on a hot summer day. That is, its welcome relief no matter how temporary.
Sadly, Tides are criminally underrated, and the impact of Resurface was more like a ripple than a heavy-duty splash. Of course the forerunners are the ones to uncover first, but this disc shouldnt be far behind the others on your shopping list. Even more disheartening than this albums sales performance is that this mob, according to a few sources, have called it a day. I can neither fully confirm nor fully deny this assertion, as the pertinent official sites have been all but abandoned. In any case, this is a fantastic debut destined to be in your collection. Steal a credit card and order it today!
9/10
Official Tides Website
Official Teenage Disco Bloodbath Records Website
