Too Many Cooks in Amrita's Broth

Undoubtedly to the excitement of many fans, ex-members from bands such as The Academy Is…, WHITE|CLAUDIA, Blacktop Mourning, and others have come together to produce what nearly typifies the genre of a “concept album,” Amrita’s Innertides. The collaboration, however, seems to fall prey to the curse of overreaching, as many themed musical excursions tend to produce. Innertides presents itself as an exemplary demonstration of contemporary rock, with experimental influences competing for attention in the margins. Inevitably, complications arise.

Based on an overarching storyline, similar to Coheed and Cambria, Amrita’s lyrics read as a conversation between characters, as in “Come My Way,” with the call and response “Oh, what have I done?/Nothin! Boy, you’ve done nothing out of the ordinary.” The context is mysterious, which sidles well along the enigmatic, seemingly incohesive movements of songs on Innertides. The album’s title track opens with a stabbing tempo, frenzied cymbals, and indistinct vocals echoing in the background, against Patrick Riley’s principal vocal melodies. Building in and out using a throbbing rhythm section, and interludes of instrumentation from funky, tribal drums to grating electric guitar, “Innertides” creates atmosphere and movements that, although cluttered, prove worth delving into. In the ballad-style “Shallow Soul,” melodic synth pours over echoing vocals, while a driving guitar solo attempts to take center stage, noticeably out of place. And playing with genres from traditional rock, funk, and prog make an epic effort out of “In Death, A Tribute,” though, in the end, the melding of choral vocals, strings, and cock rock guitars seems akin to compiling various incompatible tracks on a seven-minute mixtape.

It’s clear that Amrita lacks little in talent and ambition. With strong guitar solos drawing back on the flair of seventies rock, a keen sense of atmosphere, Innertides attempts to break apart the hard lines separating genres, and arguably succeeds in doing so. In being a jack of all trades, however, Amrita’s concept album obscures listeners from its multiple bright moments. Rather than letting the ambiance of instrumentation resonate, each track crams together an overabundance of sonic layers, each competing for attention. As a result, the bulk of Innertides seems to have confused conceptual with just plain complicated.

Enough Noise. Check out Amrita on Myspace.

Counter Intelligence Leaks Clever Commentary

In the wake of an eight-year administration that’s seen its fair share of criticism, Carl Hauck’s third album, Counter Intelligence, runs the inexorable risk of preaching to the converted. With lyrical activism in its heyday, musicians from Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst to the Black Eyed Peas Will.i.am have joined the ranks to speak out against issues of war and hypocrisy, with mixed results. Hauck’s third album to date, however, doesn’t attempt to proselytize, or follow meekly in the footsteps of protest heroes like Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. Rather, Counter Intelligence presents a refreshing perspective with all the wit and insight bred from a college English major, set to a subdued experiment with instrumentation that marks Hauck’s newest album apart from his earlier work.

This comes as a remarkable feat from the humble origins of Hauck’s album, primarily self-recorded in a University of Illinois dorm room. Hauck’s vocals, ranging from whisper soft to rich and sultry, blend well with the delicate acoustic melodies that make up the heart of Counter Intelligence. In both “Herrick, You Devil!“ and “Selfish Duet,“ the female vocals (provided by Molly Robinson and Caroline Younts, respectively) are reminiscent Damien Rice’s pairing with Lisa Hannigan. The fresh instrumentation ranges from a powerful violin accompaniment in “Selfish Duet” to a pedal-heavy piano, which makes “Herrick, You Devil!” sound as if the song itself echoes out from the belly of a baby grand.

“The Rebel,” Hauck’s ten-minute epic about the maddening journey of a soldier, rings of the playful style of Andrew Bird. With frenzied ragtime piano and harmonica, the circus of sound takes a giant gasp of breath about three minutes in, allowing Hauck to build a crescendo, with delicate acoustic guitar and bright piano accompaniment. The distant echo of a saxophone solo, from a droning to a jazzy interpretation of “America the Beautiful” suggest a statement, rather than providing any heavy-handed proclamation. With lyrics in songs like “Detail Man,” where Hauck whispers “And on our bombs we’ll paint the words/ ‘to whom this may concern,’” Counter Intelligence offers shrewd, poetic commentary, which comes as a welcome contribution not only to the dialogue of current affairs, but also to the acoustic music scene.

Enough noise. Check out Carl Hauck on MySpace.