Member:
Windhawk
(Profile)
(All Album Reviews by Windhawk)
Date:
12/26/2008
Format:
CD (Album)
Currently based in Bergen County, New Jersey, US-band 3rDegree started out way back in 1990. At first a trio, they worked hard on writing songs and performing live; and in 1993 they released their first album. With the addition of vocalist George Dobbs the line-up was complete, and 1996 saw the band release their first CD-production, Human Interest Story. Lack of commercial success saw the band entering a hiatus in 1997, but in 2005 the original three members decided to give the music business another shot, and after getting hold of vocalist Dobbs they started working on the creation of a new album. The summer of 2008 saw the result of their efforts with the release of the band's third album, Narrow-Caster.
Musically we're talking art rock; or perhaps even art pop, when it comes to describing the musical contents of this production. Atmospheres and melodies are central, with instruments and vocals carefully mixed to highlight melodic and catchy elements. In essence the vocals get to dominate quite a bit, especially harmonic vocal passages while the guitars are dampened, sometimes subdued and often placed back in the mix, retaining the impact of the instrument but seeing to it that it rarely dominates, at least not to the extent it could if mixed in a different manner.
Strong melodies, a relatively simple basic compositional structure with verse and chorus as main elements, and highlighting vocals while subduing guitars - pop sensibilities in a nutshell. 3rDegree know their game and have managed to create a sound on this release that should be pleasing and interesting also for fans of music without complexities;and I often found myself thinking of US act Man On Fire and their release Habitat when listening to this album. Many segments were close in sound and style and the approach on that production is quite similar too.
However, where Man On Fire insert elements from the symphonic side of the musical spectrum along with contemporary electronic effects, 3rDegree are a bit more ambitious. Closer listening to the compositions reveals a small plethora of subtle, complex nuances added to the individual compositions. There are slight changes in sound, style and pace; very much present throughout but barely audible on superficial inspection. Elements from jazz are incorporated in several places as well, most often delivered by the piano or the bass guitar. The most prominent feature hidden are certain tendencies towards avant-garde music though, slight dissonances and disharmonies, brief instances of musical interludes that at the most complex have cacophonic qualities. Carefully inserted of course, and placed in a manner that makes them detectable if you try to locate them, but otherwise won't catch the attention of the average listener.
Overall I see this as a strong release. Somewhat lacking in the truly brilliant tunes department; but more than good enough to hit my top 10 list of 2008. It's not music that will please all and sundry of course, but people who like what has been coined art rock in previous times, especially the more commercially oriented direction of this loosely defined genre, should find this release quite intriguing.
My rating: 88/100
Member:
jlneudorf
(Profile)
(All Album Reviews by jlneudorf)
Date:
4/11/2009
Format:
CD (Album)
I am really digging the latest release from the American band 3rdegree. The band formed in 1990, released their first CD in 1996 entitled Human Interest Story and shortly thereafter the band broke up. Ten years later the band is back together with a line-up that includes Robert James Pashman (backing vocals, bass, keyboards), Robert Durham (drums, backing vocals), Pat Kliesch (guitars, backing vocals) and George Dobbs (lead vocals, keyboards). I have not had the pleasure of hearing the band’s first release but after hearing Narrow-Caster I will definitely make that a priority. This is not a long album by today’s standards with a running time of about 46 minutes but it has had quite an impact on me nonetheless. The album is short and concise, perhaps adding to its charm. There are no long epics here so if that is required to get your musical fix you need to look elsewhere. What you will find here are ten well-balanced pop/rock songs with a fair amount of progginess and odd tempos that will satisfy many fans of progressive rock. Keyboards are used to good effect all over the disc providing a myriad of sounds including some well-placed Hammond and plenty of synths. Perhaps my favorite part of this CD is the outstanding vocals provided by all members of the band showing hints of other bands such as Gentle Giant, Spock’s Beard and the like creating some very nice harmonies. This music is not near as complex as say Gentle Giant but some vocal parts did take me back to that band.
The album starts strong with the hard rocking “Apophenia” with excellent backing vocals and some nice synth work. “It Works” is a mid-tempo number with a mellow beginning that builds into a funky groove. The organ found here provides a nice touch. One of the album’s best songs is “Cautionary Tale” beginning with some Yes-like harmonies. The background vocals are outstanding throughout and the middle section has some interesting guitar effects that add an undercurrent of atmosphere to the song. “The Proverbial Banana Peel” is pure fun with its crunchy guitar chords, catchy chorus and its pure hard rock ending. The rest of the album’s songs are equally as enjoyable as those described reminding me of such bands as E.L.O., The Beatles, and many more.
I hope that will give you a good picture of what this cd is all about. I believe any fan of melodic rock/pop music with a progressive twist would do well to check out this cd. After a ten year hiatus it is like they have never left. Kudos to the band for making a record so easy on the ears and a joy to listen to. This one gets my full recommendation.
Rating: 8.5/(out of ten)
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
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