Banger Picks |
Dead Soul Tribe"The January Tree" With the previous release, "A Murder Of Crows," a dead crow (on a pylon with electric cables, it's wings stretched as if it was crucified) served as starting point for a fascinating concept, a unique symbiosis between poetic lyrics and suspenseful, dramatic music. This time around, the motif is similiar, "A tree in winter is a mirror image of today's world. A leaf is only a leaf, but, it's a small wonder that a tree lives with the help of his leaves. It's just the small things which decide over life and death and the level in between." The album's title, "The January Tree," was established well before a note of music was compromised or a line of song lyrics written. The idea came first, which prompted Devon to search intensively for the greater meaning therein, experimenting with riffs and melodies for about a year before he landed in the appropriate place. "I had the kind of basis in my mind, but for a long time I didn't find the appropriate and expressive words, so, I initially arranged the music without song lyrics." Devon Graves did almost everything himself on "The January Tree," as he did with the debut work, "Dead Soul Tribe" and "A Murder Of Crows." He plays guitar, bass, flute, keyboards and piano, in addition to lending vocals and production skills. However, this time around, drummer Adel Moustafa lent his talents to the basic structures of three songs on the album. Apart from elements in DST (such as clashing of conflicting moods, dynamic, unusual rhythms and an almost mesmerizing aura), "The January Tree" also offers "Just Like A Timepiece," a song which was originally released on Graves' solo album, "The Strange Mind Of Buddy Lackey," in 1993. After this album the singer caused a sensation (still using the pen name Buddy Lackey at the time) with his band Psychotic Waltz, whose four subsequent albums made them a high profile act among fans of progressive music. Graves left the band in 1997, to better gravitate in the direction of his steadfast vision. One can find many similarities between Dead Soul Tribe and Psychotic Waltz, the music is progressive and dynamic, original and natural, individual and profound...in short, an infectious hot and cold bath full of authentic emotions. "I particularly feel I'm influenced by Zappa, Jethro Tull and Iron Maiden," says Graves. "But I also find Tool or A Perfect Circle tremendously stimulating. There are no limits, only the striving for a music, which, to me, sounds the most beautiful." There's a storm brewing with the release of "The January Tree." The outlook for Dead Soul Tribe is definitely more optimistic than a leafless tree in winter. |