The Reign Of Kindo - Rhythm, Chord & Melody

Track listing:
1. The Moments In Between (4:56)
2. Breathe Again (4:37)
3. Great Blue Sea (5:03)
4. Let It Go (5:13)
5. Nice To Meet You (3:34)
6. Till We Make Our Ascent (5:31)
7. Something In The Way That You Are (4:08)
8. Rhythm, Chord & Melody (6:04)
9. I Hear That Music Play (5:49)
10. The Mystery Of Our Day (5:30)
11. Morning Cloud (3:25)
12. Hold Out (4:38)

I have no idea how this review is just now ending up on here. I wrote it up a long time ago. Haha!
~~~

The Reign Of Kindo creates music that falls somewhere between pop, jazz, and indie... Something intriguing and unique. TROK sounds just that way, and what great musicians they are!

"Rhythm, Chord & Melody" is a trip!

At first, after hearing the contrast of the songs from their 2007 debut EP, this album sounded less varied, but after listening to the songs a few times they become distinct.

Complex structures abound within TROK's memorable and jazzy songs. Yet still the songs are accessible and melodic. The one thing I feel this album might be missing is the really upbeat songs like "Just Wait" and "Hard To Believe" from their 2007 debut EP. Not to say there aren't upbeat songs! It's just that somehow, to me at least, none of the songs on here feel the same as the ones on the EP, which is okay--in fact it's way more than ok! These songs amazing, but in a different way.

Rhythm, Chord & Melody is a really great album that has really grown on me. If you've been thinking about listening to this band, do it. NOW. Lol. There's so much here to chew on... Every time I listen I hear something I didn't notice before. Great music.

...Also if you have a chance to see them live and you like their music, go see them. They are just as amazing live as they are on the recorded albums. Not enough bands stand up to the live show these days... TROK does. :)

Final Verdict: Hugely recommended!
Rating: 4.5/5

Standout tracks:
The Moments In Between,
Great Blue Sea,
Nice To Meet You,
Till We Make Our Ascent,
I Hear That Music Play,
Hold Out

Mono - Hymn to the Immortal Wind

"We are not bound by the passing of time. Underneath every layer of the vessel that we call the body, there lies only the soul, where memory lives on."

Album Title: Hymn to the Immortal Wind
Album Artist: Mono

Track listing:
1. Ashes In The Snow (11:46)
2. Burial At Sea (10:39)
3. Silent Flight, Sleeping Dawn (6:00)
4. Pure As Snow (Trails Of The Winter Storm) (11:26)
5. Follow The Map (11:26)
6. The Battle To Heaven (12:51)
7. Everlasting Light (10:23)

Mono is a Japanese post rock band with something to say---without singing. These four musicians literally try to "kill their audience with noise." But don't let this fact make you think that this is just a noisy industrial album---far from it! They actually enlisted the help of a large string section for the recording of this album. The result is a beautiful classically influenced "rock" album that alternately lulls you to sleep with gentle string melodies and then jolts you awake with guitarbass&drum-walls-of-sound.

This is a "concept album," but I'd rather call it a "story album." There are 7 pages of full-color, beautifully illustrated artwork by Esteban Rey. On the flipside of each is a piece of narrative. The 7 pieces of artwork/narrative (one for each song) make up a story called "Hymn to the Immortal Wind." The whole project just fits together so beautifully, this is NOT an album to purchase on iTunes. You must have the package to get the whole experience.

I'm not going to try to explain all the songs... I'd rather let them speak for themselves... But I will say this. If you don't know where to start, listen to "Follow The Map." It's the shortest track on the album, but a very beautiful one. Mono used it as their "single" to promote this album (it worked on me!). If you like what you hear, dive deeper... Maybe give the wonderful "Pure As Snow" a listen, or the epic closing track "Everlasting Light." But I'd recommend just taking the plunge---listen to it all.

With lush passages and jarring moments flowing in and out of each other, adding to each other, and balancing each other out, this charming and beautiful project by Japanese post rockers Mono is an album you MUST hear.

My Take: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Highly recommended.

Album Highlights:
Pure As Snow (Trails of the Winter Storm)
Follow the Map
Everlasting Light

Links:
Mono on MySpace