The Last Days of Leviathan

I bought the first albums just the other day and thought I desperately needed to buy the next one but when I listened to all the samples the sound seemed muddy and too similar. It just didn't sound like the musicians that stole my heart.

Soul stirring, hauntingly beautiful, powerful lyrics!

It honestly astounds me how few people I know have heard of this band (possibly none in fact). The musicianship of the members of these guys is absolutely incredible and I can't think of a band I've heard recently that does what these guys do with lyrics and storytelling within an album. Their last album is perhaps one of the best albums I've heard and listening to Leviathan did not fail to disappoint. If you like music, then I think you will like this album.

The musicianship on this record is top notch - the guitar work and the singing both sound like they come from people who love their instruments. The sound textures on songs like the opener, I Shot a Man, and Sonnet To Science, are especially refreshing. The sound is poppy but it doesn't sound like a tired trotting out of the same old studio magic. I imagine some of the heart of this band is shown through their assertion (in Alibi, apparently and ode to suffocatingly uncreative music in the mass market) that radio wasn't killed by video, but was scared to death instead. And the instrumental breakdown on Leviathan is definitely worth the price of admission. The strength of this band is that the pour a lot into the songs to make them compelling and they pace the album masterfully so that it's worth pushing play and just letting it roll. This is good, smart pop done by skillful and musicians that clearly love their art _and_ love entertaining. In the world of uber-hip vs. uber-mercenary, that's a good mix.

Like their previous album, The Cage, this one is a stew of influences from the entire history of rock (and occasionally borrowing from jazz, Broadway, and classical), and they all combine together into a stunningly original take on popular music, one that will likely appeal to fans of alt-rock and metal as much as anything. Neil is an absolute machine on the guitar, playing riffs and solos that could easily compete with the likes of Eddie Van Halen and PJ Harvey. Kate is arguably one of the best rock singers performing today, possessing a power you could probably compare to Amy Lee of Evanescence (but, unlike Lee, she actually knows how to emote). This one comes off as slightly less ambitious than their debut but slightly more successful--for whatever that's worth--but like their previous release, I'm sure will be an underrated classic. If you like music, check it out.

Coming off their brilliant first album, Dirt Poor Robins continue their bewitching melodies with dark undertones. This album has beautifully tragic theme, relevant to the album's title [Leviathan being one of the seven princes and gatekeeper of hell]. The lyrics are appropriately poetic and the vocals are outstanding as always. I have been listening to this album virtually non-stop since I first heard it and most highly recommend it.

There is no shortage of talent in this duo, and I really love their vocals.

When I first heard Kate's voice on the Sojourn worship albums I loved how she sounded singing on darker songs, so this album is like a dream come true! I've been anxiously waiting for another release and they didn't dissapoint. My only complaint is that it isn't longer, but that'll keep people looking forward to more. Keep 'em coming, you guys!!