Love Always, Leviathan

Review I'm not majoring in marketing, no, but still something tells me that Icarus the Owl are doing everything correctly in order to sell their second full-length. Their name s memorable, the album artwork is as grandiose as ever, and even the song titles are a delight, being a blend of importance and classiness. Upon further inspection, though, what s most surprising is that Love Always, Leviathan holds up to these preconceived notions rather nicely. The music s just as refreshing as the artwork would suggest, albeit not quite in the same way as expected. It s a tricky road to tread, attempting to make headway in the scene in which Icarus the Owl are contained. Technical pop-punk isn t exactly the most innovative amalgam in the indie scene lately; it s necessary that the next band to carry the genre s torch any further do it with some creativity. Love Always, Leviathan is aware that it has to rattle audiences in order to impact, and so it examines the foundation upon which it was constructed in the first place. Clean guitar tapping is certainly here, delightful clean vocals grace the album s presence, and soothing ballads find their home inside the tracklist, as expected. However, the edge that Icarus the Owl possesses is their keen sense of instrumentation. Each song carries a memorable melody, sure, but how they go about achieving that melody is the most roundabout way possible. The group enjoys offbeat rhythms, usually uncomfortable time signatures and unexpected syncopation, and this feature does well to attract new fans as well as satisfy the loyal ones. Swimming With Weights is acrobatic by nature, for instance, and is an immediate standout track. The memorable chorus, irresistible verses, and easygoing bridge exist, somehow, alongside such counterintuitive time signatures. This is evidence of the band s knack for grabbing and retaining attention, as well as the fact that the album rolls by rather quickly. Icarus the Owl are well aware of how essential dynamics are, and because of this they flesh out each new color right before the previous one putters out. The technical gymnastics aren t the only distinguishable feature about the group, though. Joey Rubenstein s powerful vocals soar above and beyond the call of duty, presenting serene melodies that accompany memorable lyrics. There are many opportunities for his voice to shine; perhaps the most immediate example is What We Had Was Never Love. Harmonies coexist with theatric musicianship, in a manner of which Casey Crescenzo himself wouldn t disapprove. There s much space utilized for carving individual identity, though - although there are many specific moments reminiscent of particular artists in comparable scenes, it s honestly hard to draw too much comparison to others. One attribute that Icarus the Owl possess is that at the end of the day, they can be a little hard to define. Only you can take it upon yourself to discover exactly what audience Love Always, Leviathan caters to, and whether or not you re a part of it --From Sputnikmusic.com There have been several fantastic releases lately and I m struggling to choose which one to listen to, this being one of them. It s surprising though, that one of them is from a band I had never heard of until recently, and the only reason I was remotely interested was because of the absolutely gorgeous album art. I digress. What we have here folks is the Black Beauty of dark horses. Little known band, Icarus The Owl, has blown me away with their sophomore installment, Love Always, Leviathan. They have established a unique sound by combining the happy-go-lucky sound of pop-punk with the technical wit of math rock. Obscure time signatures, sweeping guitars, technical drum lines, and catchy vocals are all regular elements used in this record. What really impresses me is how they make it as catchy and listenable as your typical pop-punk bands. Bands often lose me when they focus on technicality over listenability, but Icarus The Owl succeeds by impressing me with both. Not only that, they have an entirely unique sound, and there really is no comparison that comes to my mind. There are a couple standout tracks that I ll point out, starting with the third track, What We Had Was Never Love . Starting out with a soothing piano, appearing to be a ballad, until the guitars and drums jump in abruptly, strangling every inch of the guitar neck, while the drums are beat to a pulp with fast beats and intricate fills. Two tracks down is another favorite of mine, Peppertree . Lyrically it is probably my favorite, as it has several hooks while still being incredibly intelligent and witty. Granted, that is true with the majority of the songs, but this one stuck out the most. It would be very difficult to go track by track and elaborate, as each stands on its own, paying tribute to the album as a whole. I feel that they could have shaved off some of the time, considering that it clocks in at just under 50 minutes. Those with
ASIN: B009WI7Y0A
VSKU: DBV.B009WI7Y0A.G
Condition: Good
Author/Artist:Icarus The Owl
Binding: Audio cd
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