EastScene

The most intriguing techniques of music is the time and maturity built upon a follow-up. It’s what comes next, it’s waiting in baited breathe. It’s the dreams fulfilled, and the dreams lost. If it will touch anyone’s life, or even reach anyone’s ears. If it will be the same, or if it will be entirely different. Techniques can be used to take risks, or play it safe. As Tall As Lions is quite the unique band because they have the ability to rotate the art of sound making around themselves, marking every album unexpectedly addictive, and their third album release You Can’t Take It With You was just that.

As Tall As Lions has given off a more percussion atmospheric vibe of different sorts and styles of rock. Opening the record with one of the best tracks “Circles”, carrying echoing hand-claps, and a dreamy guitar line. Distorted, yet melodic. You can feel the tears and sweat in how hard they worked on this track, “Circles” has come alive. Though, the track “Duermete” was the most breathtaking with its gentle touch, swirling synths, bass and muted trumpet. Once the intro has passed, the guitars gradually enter and then drums. With Daniel Nigro’s flirtatious charming vocals along the track and the slow build up, this track can be quite familiar to Sigur Ros’s techniques. Once “The Narrow” comes on, this gives you a different taste of ATAL by spicing up the album with a dose of Jazz fighting against Pop-Rock.

One of the most obvious elements of As Tall as Lions are their usage of textured and layered vocals, creating each track to have it’s own personality. For example, since lead vocalist Nigro’s managed to charm with background vocals for this album, allowing bassist Julio Tavarez to shine on the title track and “Duermete,” and guitarist Sean Fitzgerald to showcase his pipes on “Sleepyhead”. Experimenting with different instruments was just to top the record off, making the rhythm section carry an undeniable force.

For a record that could just be the Album of the Year, making #88 on the Billboard Top 200, You Can’t Take It With You almost didn’t even get produced. As Tall As Lions had faced a rock in a hard place after near-break ups, shifting three different producers, and scrambled different last minute changes. This may have been a blessing or a curse, bittersweet as they say. Could it have made them weak in the end? Or could it have possibly created their passion and desire for You Can’t Take It With You.

Although this record is currently one of my favorites, it may not grab everyone’s attention. Many As Tall As Lions fans were hoping that they would keep the direction they were going in with their last record Into The Flood, believing that only a few tracks off this new album can hold their attention with their manipulating time signatures. As for the others, they are impressed with what As Tall As Lions can pull off. They can fit different styles, different techniques, and yet keep their special touch. You Can’t Take It With You can’t win everyone’s heart, but it will for the ones who have the time, patience and repeated listens.

Overall: 8.5

Release date: August 10th 2009

Label: Triple Crown Recordings

Best Tracks: Circles, Duermete, Sleepy Head, and The Narrow.