Cush is the Biblical name for southeast Mesopotamia, according to scholars. It is the land in which one of the rivers from the Garden of Eden ran through as it is read in the early part of Genesis. I do not know if the band chose their name based on this, but perhaps it might give an idea as to the way the band’s sound feels.
Not many musicians (anywhere) hand out flyers that include the bands collective credo. However, at this year’s Cornerstone, that is exactly what Cush did. The pamphlet ranged in focus from the spiritual to the musical to the sociological in a seamless manner, which was part of the point. For example, one of the band's beliefs was that every member should do just one thing at a time, and concentrate on how what he is doing contains both cohesiveness with the whole and an individual addition to the song. An artful approach to art, if you will, but a concept (though not unheard of) that teems with merit.
Michael Knott, former members of the Prayer Chain, a keyboardist by the name of Snowman, and several other guest musicians/in-studio influences (from the great Gene Eugene to Jyro) composed this self-titled release. All of the styles brought to the table by this mix of musicians are here, but the cohesion is what makes it exciting and hard to define. The term radio friendly doesn’t jump to mind on listening to it, but it also doesn’t deny basic pop sentimentality. It’s a good minute-and-a-half before we hear vocals of any kind, but strict pop and punk fans could still appreciate the attention given to the song writing. Shoe-gazing elements are here, but the desire to rock peaks its bobbin’ head around the corner to take a look at things often. The songs are definitely moody, but not just dark or up lifting. Again, they run the gamut of human emotions with a synthesis and the thought that leaving a feeling out would somehow be dishonest. Lines such as It’s a shame about gravity do a good job of conjoining the sad with the humorous. It’s not so much that they are walking a line that nobody has walked before, but that they are walking it in a way that works uniquely for them. This kind of intelligence and emotion, combined with paying quality attention to each aspect of the music, should make this album the jealousy of many lp’s everywhere. The Cush album is something I not only enjoyed, but, like most really good albums, I hear something new almost every time that makes me shake my head and mutter Cool, under my breath. Hopefully they will come out with many more albums.
I once heard someone (possibly on Mtv or M2) comment that talking about music is like dancing about architecture. Probably true, but what’s wrong with dancing about architecture? It’s natural to talk about art, and some may even say that art without dialogue is incomplete. It is in that spirit that I have come to talk about the self-titled debut from Ran Away to Sea.
The album comes across as two-fold, both lyrically and musically. As for the words (if I can be allowed to separate them from the music they belong to), they come across both brilliant and sophomoric, depending on the song and the moment. Make no mistake they are not exactly for the faint of heart. This warning comes not just because they do not hesitate to drop the d-bomb in the first song. Songs like “fashionably late” can be interpreted as woes that the Second Coming seems inappropriately like someone showing up at a party just to be noticed and far past the time when their presence was promised. However, the lyrics are not always this strong. At times they come across as a high school student newly discovering the art of language. Singing, “all of the patience just won’t wait” in the aforementioned song is clever, yes, but also cliché. The chorus of “Go Now” asks the question of “Where do we…?”, but somehow I’m left thinking Axel Rose belted that one out as far as it could go more than a decade ago. Whereas sometimes I’m left wondering what the words are supposed to mean at all.
Paradoxically, the weakness of the lyrics also carries a weight with them. For example, in the song “Ricochet” an earnest and moving refrain repeats, “Amen, Christ got in your system” and continues with “The snakes have lost their venom.” It’s a point on the album that is not only slightly clever and a good use of analogy, but hits so sincere that even my cynical nature can view it as joyous rather than manufactured sentiment or cheesy predictability. Further, anytime the album may loose me in lyrical direction it always keeps me wanting to understand it rather than writing it off and walking away.
Musically the album can sway sometimes in impression as well. There are moments when Ran Away to Sea’s musical influences can be heard a little too clearly. The good news, however, is that this is the bad news. The arrangement and direction of the songs is inspired and interesting. The warning to the faint of heart also applies to the music. Catchy hooks and soaring melodies aren’t exactly what the band is based on, though they are not completely absent. Instead, off-key breaks and jarring instrumentation create an atmosphere that is overall melancholy. The moods are wonderfully worked-out and sonic surprises keep the listener’s ear perked and engaged in the music the band has invented. Throw in the vocals and Ran Away to Sea completes the joining of art and music. These vocals sway in their effectiveness in slight moments from limits of range and distinctness. Still, when settled they communicate perfectly with the rest of the music to fit nicely with the sound the band has achieved.
Ran Away to Sea is definitely refreshing in the current market of music. They more than live up to the standards of the artists who inspire them, but go the next step and manage to come up with their own sound. Being that this is their earliest effort, surely only bigger and better things are to come. They are undoubtedly worth investing in; not just for support of a new band, but also if you enjoy intelligent and effective music.
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