Anybody who knows me probably realizes that I really like this band, so let
that be my disclaimer for this review. In case you don't know,
Thrice is a
rock band from California that have been called everything from pop-punk to
melodic hardcore (OK, perhaps the two aren't extremely dissimilar). While
you could say that the music has the energy of punk and hardcore, it really
has evolved over the years into its own entity, and this release documents
this evolution quite well.
The package contains a DVD which has live performances, the story of the
band as told by the members as well as friends, videos of their released
singles (the video for "Deadbolt" is a huge reason I got into this band),
and, well, the consequence of leaving bored band members (particularly
drummer Riley Breckenridge) with a camcorder. Even if you are not a fan of
this band, you instantly grow to like these guys, as it shows high school
battle of the band footage when they played pop-punk songs like statues
frozen in trying to remember how to piece together the various parts in
front of their classmates. It is also interesting to note that while many
bands form to rule the world and make it submit to their personal brand of
rock, Thrice was formed without much fanfare with only playing a couple
local shows as their goal. Eddie Breckenridge (bassist and brother to
Riley) joined the band without ever playing bass before and only listening
to pop-punk bands. Lead guitarist/keyboardist Teppei Teranishi joined the
band with limited experience playing guitar with a pick, having studied
classical piano and guitar. The funny thing is that while the band members
are self-deprecating in terms of their beginnings, their later releases are
quantum leaps in terms of musicianship, with Teppei doing amazing runs via
his plectrum and Eddie anchoring many cool parts on their latest studio
release "The Artist in the Ambulance".
The band is also not afraid to show more sides of themselves as people and
musicians. With each release, they explore decidedly non-mainstream
elements such as odd-meters, complex guitar interplay, and lyrics that delve
into the positive and negative sides of the world. The accompanying CD in
the package includes B sides and alternate versions of released songs which
demonstrates how tireless they are at incorporating new sounds and
influences. For instance, the fast punk ditty "So Strange I Remember You"
from the album "The Illusion of Safety" is given a more somber, atmospheric
treatment, incorporating the use of Teppei's organwork and a slower speed
that allows singer/guitarist Dustin Kensrue's voice to literally breathe new
vitality into lyrics such as:
"And they taste like dead cathedrals
that are crumbling beneath a weight of ten thousand jaded tourists
who've traded in their hearts and hands for
disposable cameras, set to document to decay,
set to capture just enough of life to catalogue the things we throw away."
Additionally, I found myself loving some of the outtakes of album sessions
better than some cuts that made it to the albums. For instance, "Eclipse"
kicks off the whole CD heavy and intense. With lines like "Eclipse his body
with stones, and lay him down with the rest. I smile when I am alone and
shed a tear for the press", it's right at home with "The Artist in the
Ambulance" songs that portray a morally flawed human perspective in clear,
concise terms. There is a cover of the Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby" which some
purists might call blasphemy, but while I can understand their arguments, I
really like it as a work unto itself, disassociated from its previous
incarnation. The band itself has issued a pre-emptive strike, saying that
this was before they realized that some groups, such as the Beatles, should
not be covered.
All in all, this set would serve as the perfect introduction for someone looking to know
exactly who Thrice is. Their story is filled with old footage that gives a
real sense of how young they are as musicians and how unlimited their
potential is. There is a huge buzz over their forthcoming album "Vheissu",
which is said to explore even more uncharted ground for the band such
incorporating electronic music, more keyboard work, and more of their
influences manifest in the songs themselves (the group loves everyone from
the Roots to Medeski Martin and Wood to Refused to
Mars Volta). In the
meantime, if you would like to find out how these guys got to where they are
so quickly while keeping a grounded perspective, I highly recommend this set
to you.
Read/Post comments about this article
