Written By: gryphs also
Date: 8/20/2009
Format: CD (Album)
Click here for the original review @ www.progressiveears.com
North Carolina band Marsupiual have taken the wide variety of music influences of the region (jam band, southern rock, country), missed them together with some non-traditional song structures and a mellow Pink Floyd feel, and come up with a collection of songs that although not complex or challenging are catchy and very difficult to get out of your head. The diversity in sound of their CD genus thylacinus can be partially attributed to having three different songwriters in the band, and each one’s songs seem influenced by different things.
The two of the three songs by Chris Carter (drums, guitars, vocals) clock in at over 8 minutes and show jam band leanings. “Lead On” starts with a clean guitar rhythm during the vocals and quick chords of distorted guitars over the changes. The song then breaks into a 3.5 minute instrumental interlude. Although punctuated by lead guitar work it is definitely a vehicle for musical interplay as opposed to solo gamesmanship. The song returns for a short vocal portion related to the original theme before another musical interlude and then a return to the main song melody/vocal motif.
“Naked In the Halls Of Seduction” begins with a short guitar de-tuned section before entering the main part of the song: a clean guitar with echo playing a simple three chord rhythm that will stick with you for days. This leads to other sections with musical interplay somewhere in the grey area between post-rock and space-rock.
“There Is A Better World” is a short acoustic number punctuated by tasty pedal steel fills.
The two songs by Ian Reardon (guitars, vocals) are more in the southern rock vein. “The Man Who Knows Things” contains vocal sections with pretty picking over acoustic guitar chords but has fills and a solo with a nasty guitar tone that is a sonically perfect foil for the acoustic background. “The Tide” is similar but starts off in a jazz-rock vibe using chord inversions and a clean guitar until that same nasty guitar intros the lyrics. The song then breaks into a heavy rock number with that same lovely guitar tone rocking out over some alternative-sounding progressions.
Forrest Smith’s numbers are more diverse. “In Between” has a chorus that sound like U2’s “Angel of Harlem” and a pretty acoustic guitar solo that again is a compliment to the song, not a spotlight. “The Goodbye Waltz” is an alt-country rock gem that has some effective vocal harmonies. “Sucker Punch” is an aggressive instrumental song bordering on prog-metal with some de-tuned guitar giving the song a slight Tool feeling and some stoner-rock solos.
If you are more into the mind-challenging progressive variations, then this probably won’t stimulate you enough. If melody and relaxing to some well-crafted songs that are small “p” progressive is more your taste, Marsupial’s genus thylacinus might be for you. Accessible, but definitely in the art-rock area.
