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I’ve said it before, but I’m going
to say it again. One of the neat things about reviewing new
music is finding gems to talk about. Sometimes you have to
look hard to find them, other times they simply show up in
the mail. Such was the case with the new Eyestrings CD entitled
Consumption. Other than recognizing the name on the email
I had little to go on. And I usually like to keep it that
way with a new band. I like to have the music build an impression
before I do too much research. More times than not I’m pleasantly
surprised. Such was the case this time. From the moment Consumption
hit the CD tray and the beginning strains of “All Sales Final”
began churning out of the speakers I knew I was in for a real
treat. ***
Michigan based Eyestrings is a
four piece outfit consisting of Ryan Parmenter (vocals, keyboards),
Alan Rutter (guitars), Mathew Kennedy (bass) and Bob Young
(drums). Now many of you will recognize the “Parmenter” name
and correctly guess a relationship with Matthew Parmenter
of Discipline fame and that’s because Ryan is Matthew’s nephew.
The connections go even a little deeper because bassist Mathew
Kennedy was also a part of Discipline. So it would not be
too much of a stretch to guess that Eyestrings bears a sonic
resemblance. Not a clone by any stretch, but you will hear
some distinct similarities. Much of the music of Eyestrings
comes from the darker side of prog and might even be compared
to Van der Graaf Generator both in terms of the compositions
and Ryan’s vocals. ***
Consumption is the second release
for the band and as such has 64 minutes of music stretched
out over just 7 tracks. Other than a couple of shorter tracks
we’re talking about some pretty involving compositions, dark
and brooding, drawing the listener into the foreboding worlds
within. The 12-minute track “Code of Tripe” comes the closest
to the Discipline style probably because of Kennedy’s contributions.
On the other hand, the 5-minute “Stagnant” has a very pleasant,
almost melancholy feel. The CD finishes with the 20-minute
multi-part epic “Lifelines.” ***
What makes Eyestrings unique is
the way Ryan, who writes virtually all the music and lyrics
is able to balance the dark and the light, the minors and
the majors, the angry and the grateful. And he does a masterful
job, as do each of the other band members whose contributions
cannot be understated. This is not just a one-man show. Eyestrings
is very much about building a dense symphonic wall of sound
and then pulling it down leaving you listening to perhaps
only voice and Mellotron and then allowing the piece to swell
to conclusion. Each of the seven compositions harbors more
than its share of mystery. At times the playing is intense
and furious but then it easily slows to a moderate tempo,
all the while playing with you emotionally. They’re well thought
out compositionally and very well played. ***
If you’re a fan of either of the
bands mentioned or others like them I can almost guarantee
you’ll love Eyestrings. I know I was hooked from the first
notes. Consumption is the kind of recording that has a lot
of staying power on the player. This is a great sophomore
release and really worth seeking out. ***
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