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Andrew's Collection

Red Sparowes   09/27/2010

Hydrozagadka, Warsaw, Poland
Source Matrix: SBD: Edirol R-09HR + DPA 4061 > MMA6000 > Edirol R-09HR (24bit/48k) = Peak Pro 6 (wave 16bit/44.1k) > xAct > flac
Media Flac CDR   1 disc
Tech Notes "Matrixed in Audacity, tracked in CD Wave Editor.




Red Sparowes is a Los Angeles based instrumental group known for its epic, heavy and sprawling sounds heard over the course of three full length albums -- At The Soundless Dawn (2005) and Every Red Heart Shines Toward the Red Sun (2006) both on Neurot Recordings and the forthcoming Sargent House release The Fear Is Excruciating, But Therein Lies The Answer (2010). The band has also issued three split discs and the Aphorisms EP (digital-only 2008, 12" 2009). Red Sparowes consists of current and former members of Isis, Halifax Pier, Pleasure Forever, Angel Hair and The VSS.

In August 2009, the band returned to the studio with engineer Toshi Kasai (Melvins, Big Business, Tool) to record its third album, The Fear Is Excruciating, But Therein Lies The Answer. The resulting 8-song disc is the first to feature guitarist Emma Ruth Rundle and finds the band's sound progressing ever onward in its balance of heft and melody.

Red Sparowes was formed in 2003 by guitarist Clifford Meyer (also of Isis), bassist/pedal steel player Greg Burns (ex-Halifax Pier), guitarist Josh Graham, bassist/guitarist Jeff Caxide (Isis) and drummer Dana Berkowitz. Caxide and Berkowitz relocated in 2004, leaving the band. Drummer David Clifford (ex-Pleasure Forever, ex-The VSS) and guitarist Andy Arahood (ex-Angel Hair) joined shortly thereafter in the fall of 2004. The band toured extensively in the U.S. and Europe following the release of At The Soundless Dawn. A split EP release with Gregor Samsa was released in 2005 on Robotic Empire and the Black Tar Prophecies Vol. 1 split EP with Grails followed in 2006 on the same label.

Red Sparowes' second full-length release, Every Red Heart Shines Toward the Red Sun, was recorded at Prairie Sun and Louder Studios in San Francisco with producer Tim Green (Comets On Fire, The Fucking Champs, The Melvins). The album was released in September 2006 and the band toured even more extensively throughout 2006-2007, including its first show in Moscow. Earlier in 2006, the quintet's van was broken into in Stockholm and much of their rented equipment and personal gear was stolen. The band released the limited edition live recording from the performance earlier that night, titled Oh Lord, God of Vengeance, Show Yourself! in order to help raise funds to pay for the rented equipment that had been stolen. After considerable touring, the band began working on material for its third album in late 2007.

In January 2008, Graham left the band and he was temporarily replaced by Made Out of Babies guitarist Brendan Tobin, who had already toured with the band several times as a fill-in guitarist. Red Sparowes went into the studio with engineer Toshi Kasai in May 2008 and the resulting 3-song EP Aphorisms was released digitally that July via Sargent House. A 12" vinyl version was later released in November 2009.




Review of their latest album:
Think about the coming of the end of the world. What would you arm yourselves with? Guns, knives, drugs, religion, or music? Would any of those actually help defer the coming death? Well, one post-rock band may have all of the answers. Red Sparowes, an almost super-group in the post-rock scene, consist of only the best of musicians. These members from Isis, Halifax Pier, Angel Hair, and Pleasure Forever have been making music to portray the anxiety-ridden human condition for quite sometime now. At The Soundless Dawn was a beautiful debut effort, and now, two more full-length albums in, the Sparowes have really begun to hone in on a unique sound. The Fear Is Excruciating, But Therein Lies The Answer captures the minds of its listeners and guides them through an accepted and well-realized world of death and destruction while beauty bears all of the weight.

“Truths Arise” introduces the new set of songs with fluttering steel guitar notes that reverberate off of time and space. Pounding drums drill certain themes home and help to set a specific tone for the entire record. After finally working your way through the whole album, you’ll come to realize that this one song sums up everything that The Fear Is Excruciating… has to offer. A tight, multi-layered, slightly southern soundscape is apparent and carries through ’til the end.

Most of the drums on The Fear Is Excruciating… are very jazz influenced. A constant ride on the snare and cymbals is found and helps to mold the unique tone utilized on this album. The jazzy beats and picking of guitar strings on “In Illusions of Order” create fuzzy, auditory plateaus that are easy to lose oneself in. A lonely depth is present early on and doesn’t let up until the last note of the entire adventure drones out. See, because that’s what a good post-rock band does. They create multiple levels of sonic artistry that build upon each other until finally, they all come crashing down. The vast sections of music are meant for listeners to get lost in for hours at a time, and the Red Sparowes accomplish this effortlessly.

“A Swarm” is one of the group’s best songs to date. It consists of beautiful southern psychedelia set in the same time period as Pink Floyd. The slide guitar produces a feeling of pure euphoria that would be perfect to accompany the most terrifying situations in life; it would help to produce a calm attitude towards it all. “A Hail of Bombs” follows suit while the drums provide a warm backing for all of the noises and sounds to wander in. It even includes a beautiful climax that consists of a heavily distorted guitar part and drum beats that seem to rival the riffs being played; multiple viewpoints clashing, maybe?

What makes this Red Sparowes album stand out from all of the rest, though, is the ethereal dread found on the last three songs. “In Every Mind” empties into “A Mutiny” and then wraps up all of the loose ends with “As Each End Looms and Subsides.” These three songs feel as if they complete a whole circuit of human emotion. The anxiety and nervousness we all share toward the coming times billows and then empties into “In Every Mind”. “A Mutiny” provides an apologetic relief for all of the strange and paranoid thoughts presented to us by the end of the world. The song waxes and wanes through dark yet calm passages that only pull from the best musical influences. “As Each End Looms and Subsides” closes the album with an answer. The wandering and building guitars create a voice that doesn’t speak one specific language but instead speaks one that is universal to all. The message found is left open and bleeding for individual interpretation.

And when the end of times finally begins to arrive, turn to music– and only the best post-rock bands– to help create a personal soundtrack for the end. Groups such as Mogwai, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and now even Red Sparowes all should have a place amongst the musical accompaniment. With The Fear Is Excruciating, But Therein Lies The Answer, the Sparowes have proven themselves to be a rock band for the ages. It’s a beautiful album that takes all the best from old and expands to create something new and unique. This is one record that should not be missed. I commend you, Red Sparowes.




Red Sparowes are heading overseas for a EU/UK tour in support of their third full-length album, The Fear Is Excruciating, But Therein Lies The Answer which was released via Sargent House earlier this year and on Conspiracy Records in Europe.

RED SPAROWES EU/UK
09/27 Warsaw, PL @ Hydrozagadka
09/28 Gydnia,PL @Uchio
09/29 Poznan, PL @ Pod Minoga
09/30 Berlin, DE @ Berghain
10/02 Malmö, SE @Babel
10/04 Stockholm, SE @Debaser Slussen
10/05 Oslo, NO @ John Dee
10/06 Goteburg, SE @ Pusterviksbaren
10/07 Hamburg, DE @ Hafenklang
10/08 Holland, NL @ W2 Den Bosch
10/09 Antwerp, BE @ Trix
10/10 London, UK @ Scala
10/11 Birmingham, UK @ Hare and Hounds
10/12 Dublin, IE @ Crawdaddy
10/13 Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
10/14 Glasgow, UK @ Stereo
10/16 Paris, FR @ La Maroquinerie
10/17 Bordeaux, FR @ L’Heretic
10/18 Nantes, FR @ L’Olympic
10/20 Madrid, ES @ Ritmo y Compas
10/21 Barcelona, ES @ La (2) de Apolo
10/22 Lyon, FR @ Grrrnd Zero
10/23 Bulle, CH @ Ebullition
10/24 Milano, IT @ Bloom Mezzago
10/25 Roma, IT @ Traffic Live
10/26 Bologna, IT @ Locomotiv
10/27 Ljubljana, SI @ Menza Pri Koritu %
10/28 Vienna, AT @ Szene
10/29 Muchen, DE @ Felerwerk
10/30 Innsbruck, AT @ PMK
10/31 Karlsruhe, DE @ Jubez
11/01 Praha, CZ @ Matrix Club
11/03 Thessaloniki, GR @ Eightball Club
11/04 Athens, GR @ Gagarin"
Trades Allowed Yes
Ratings Show: A    Sound: A+
Owned by Andrew · Last Updated May 23, 2023