Published Tuesday, June 28, 2011 By amanda_caines. Under CD Review, Editor : Amanda Caines, Writer: Amanda Caines Tags: alternative rock, Amanda Caines, CD Review, indie rock, Science in the Cave
“Science In The Cave EP”
The band Science In The Cave dishes up some ’90s-style rock with their “Science In The Cave EP.” Think Bono from U2’s mid-eighties days singing for Radiohead in the early ‘90s. The quality isn’t the best I’ve ever heard, but it’s clear and decently-mixed. The reverb-saturated vocals are pleasant enough and the guitar sound is good, but they dominate sonically over the bass and drums, leaving them so far in the background, they’re almost unnoticeable on the first listen-through.
Stylistically, repetition is the thorn in the side of the songs on “Science In The Cave.” That’s not to say that all the songs “sound the same,” because they don’t; but there are some stylistic elements in the vocals and the guitar that are a little over-used throughout the course of the entire CD. There’s a little too much ascending/descending octave stuff in the guitars, and it’s pretty repetitive rhythm-wise and note-interval-wise in a lot of places, vocally. I’d love to see some more experimentation in the vocal lines and the bass lines and some expansion of the almost surf rock feel and arpeggio techniques on guitar like in “Death Haunted World,” which stood out big-time and is by far my favorite track on the CD. “Virus” is my second-favorite because of the driving rhythms and ominous guitar slides from the beginning up to the verse—reminds me of Coldplay-gone-doom.
Speaking of doom, I think they’re clearly obsessed with death and disease, judging by their song titles. “Cancer,” “Virus,” and “Death Haunted World,” … see what I mean? I really dig the dark, mysterious vibe of the tunes, though, so I’m not complaining. By the time the last track “1910” rolls around, I’m not anxious to grab it out of the player, so that’s a very good sign.
This is the kind of CD that makes incredibly groovy music to go in the background while something else is going on. It’s got the grooves to put you in a good mood, but if it’s your sole thing to concentrate on, you might get bored with the repetition within each song. Unless you like techno or new wave, in which case these tunes are incredibly dynamic in comparison. A song or two at a time, like in a play list or mix CD, it’s not glaringly noticeable. I can see myself popping this whole album into the player on a road trip, too—a definite “win.”
CD: “Science in the Cave EP”
Band: Science in the Cave
Reach: Local to Carolinas
Genre: Doom Indie—haha—or Alternative Rock
Sounds like: Radiohead, Coldplay (early), U2 (early)
Tracks: 8
Strongest Track: 3. “Death Haunted World”
Weakest Track: 5. “Insect”
Best Feature: Doomy Grooves
Listen Again: Yes
Rating: 7.5 out of 10
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