I first knew of this band through a free punk compilation from probably ten or more years ago. They were a third wave ska band back then. Fast forward to a couple years ago when I was looking at a Bonnaroo lineup (never been there but always look at the lineup and contemplate going) and to my surprise they were on it. I wondered what their music must sound like now to play a festival like this. As I suspected, they're music got jammier and incorporated elements of prog. They still maintain fast played punk riffs with sing-along choruses, creating a unique sound like no one else. I think when a band has talent like they do, they must have felt limited by the confines of the punk/ska genre. Mandala wasn't the first album I got from them, but I went with it because it has a big guitar sound, as they've phased out their horn section. .....And the Battle Begun, and The Resignation are also excellent and could've went with one of those. Enjoy! :beer:
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_UC1SWgMd9ZM/SgoMo5QQXTI/AAAAAAAAAug/i22x8dvvYm0/s400/mandala_cover.JPG)
video for: Hope Is A Butterfly, No Net Its Captor (Virus Of Silence)
RX Bandits- Hope Is A Butterfly, No Net Its Captor (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXgPVefAbVU#ws)
Had no idea what to expect with this album....this album is deep!
I hear the prog-punk theme and its like hearing a whole new genre...
I'm on my second listen now and like it immensely better than the first...gotta credit to this band's musicianship...don't love the vocalist but these extended songs are really entertaining
love Hope is a Butterfly
there is some machine gun strumming going on............. :thumbsup:
Quote from: wolof7 on Sep 14, 2011, 09:28 PM
Had no idea what to expect with this album....this album is deep!
I hear the prog-punk theme and its like hearing a whole new genre...
I'm on my second listen now and like it immensely better than the first...gotta credit to this band's musicianship...don't love the vocalist but these extended songs are really entertaining
love Hope is a Butterfly
This one definitely took me a couple listens to like it, now I think it's my favorite. I think he's got a great voice, it's like Sting meets Jeff Buckley.
I like the keys to start to start this first song, it makes me feel like I'm falling down the rabbit hole. It seems like Muse might be an ifluence in the direction this band took for this record.
I've only heard a little bit of this band before. First song is good, kind of has a Minus the Bear sound going on. I dig it.
I like the way the second song STARTS as well. I think I like how this band starts songs and then I get annoyed at all the turns the songs take, and for a second week in a row the singers voice and lyrics are not my cup of tea.
You're a tough one to impress Brian.
Quote from: sweatboard on Sep 14, 2011, 09:34 PM
It seems like Muse might be an ifluence in the direction this band took for this record.
I definitely hear that but I like it a whole lot better than Muse...
...I believe that theres a middle track that is latin-ska sounding a la Mars Volta/Ozomatli which I totally dig....
interesting, like exploring your wine palette
I'm starting to feel like it. I really don't think I am though.
This third song has a little Mars Volta feel.
I like the turns they make, it keeps you on your toes. Great music to blaze and drink too.
Quote from: sweatboard on Sep 14, 2011, 09:41 PM
This third song has a little Mars Volta feel.
I myself feel like they're a more accessible version of Mars Volta, with catchier songs.
I don't HATE it. Some sections are really cool.
Quote from: ManNamedTruth on Sep 14, 2011, 09:42 PM
Quote from: sweatboard on Sep 14, 2011, 09:41 PM
This third song has a little Mars Volta feel.
I myself feel like they're a more accessible version of Mars Volta, with catchier songs.
More accessible, mabey
So this fourth song "Hearts That Hanker...."
should have been called "Hey Look, I Found A Thesaurs!"
akin to perception
Unfurling psychic charts
slide the entropy
crushing coercion
Project the assertion
Undulate beneath your lusty lover
We catalyze disaster
Indoctrined assassin berate with the force-feed frea
tremble with trepidation
benevolent beauty fogged-up
besieged by the standard of being
:D
liking his voice more as the songs go by....just starting to hear the jeff buckley claim on White Lies....
....for me I can't place how I would listen to this album....should prob really listen under the influence to gain different perspectives....it is an album that definitely keeps you on ur toes!
Quote from: ManNamedTruth on Sep 14, 2011, 09:42 PM
Quote from: sweatboard on Sep 14, 2011, 09:41 PM
This third song has a little Mars Volta feel.
I myself feel like they're a more accessible version of Mars Volta, with catchier songs.
Definitely....I love TMV but maybe can stand listening to them 2x/yr....but when I do it's all i wanna listen to
Quote from: wolof7 on Sep 14, 2011, 09:48 PM
liking his voice more as the songs go by....just starting to hear the jeff buckley claim on White Lies....
....for me I can't place how I would listen to this album....should prob really listen under the influence to gain different perspectives....it is an album that definitely keeps you on ur toes!
I'm aided every wednesday night by a glass of wine and vapor pipe.
Quote from: wolof7 on Sep 14, 2011, 09:48 PM
liking his voice more as the songs go by....just starting to hear the jeff buckley claim on White Lies....
....for me I can't place how I would listen to this album....should prob really listen under the influence to gain different perspectives....it is an album that definitely keeps you on ur toes!
I'm with you here brother, I can't figure out what context I would want to listen to this record in. Probably in the middle of a bunch of dudes with dreads dancing their fucking asses off. .......... If I could manage to do it.
Quote from: wolof7 on Sep 14, 2011, 09:49 PM
Quote from: ManNamedTruth on Sep 14, 2011, 09:42 PM
Quote from: sweatboard on Sep 14, 2011, 09:41 PM
This third song has a little Mars Volta feel.
I myself feel like they're a more accessible version of Mars Volta, with catchier songs.
Definitely....I love TMV but maybe can stand listening to them 2x/yr....but when I do it's all i wanna listen to
I think Deloused is a masterpiece, they lost me after that.
I'm running a little late so I just started my spin of the album. Only listened to the album 2 two other times, so I'm gonna hold off on my formal review of the album as a whole until I'm a little more familiar, probably tomorrow or day after. First impression though, great musicianship as was mentioned. Not sold on the vocalist quite yet, don't think he detracts from the songs, but not really sure he adds a whole lot in my opinion. First song's solid. A lot of these songs seem like I've heard them before, even though I'm certain I never have. Also, I'm a sucker for a good riff, which these guys have plenty to spare.
Quote from: sweatboard on Sep 14, 2011, 09:51 PM
Quote from: wolof7 on Sep 14, 2011, 09:48 PM
liking his voice more as the songs go by....just starting to hear the jeff buckley claim on White Lies....
....for me I can't place how I would listen to this album....should prob really listen under the influence to gain different perspectives....it is an album that definitely keeps you on ur toes!
I'm with you here brother, I can't figure out what context I would want to listen to this record in. Probably in the middle of a bunch of dudes with dreads dancing their fucking asses off. .......... If I could manage to do it.
I could see myself going nuts to this live....hah
Quote from: sweatboard on Sep 14, 2011, 09:52 PM
Quote from: wolof7 on Sep 14, 2011, 09:49 PM
Quote from: ManNamedTruth on Sep 14, 2011, 09:42 PM
Quote from: sweatboard on Sep 14, 2011, 09:41 PM
This third song has a little Mars Volta feel.
I myself feel like they're a more accessible version of Mars Volta, with catchier songs.
Definitely....I love TMV but maybe can stand listening to them 2x/yr....but when I do it's all i wanna listen to
I think Deloused is a masterpiece, they lost me after that.
Agreed and understandable
yeah, when they decide to let the guitar riff, they have some sweet ones. but it's like it's only an eighth of the song. I actually think the keyboard its my favorite. The keyboard drum stuff on "Mentras la ve" is pretty sweet at the end.
From Rx Bandits wiki page:
Last Summer Tour (2011)On April 12, 2011, the band announced that their forthcoming summer U.S. tour would be their last. A brief statement was given by the band:
" We would like to express our love and appreciation for all that you've done for us and how much a part of our growth you have been. We have all mutually decided that this summer will be our last tour. We love each other and love you all and hope to see you at the shows. "
The tour is to be composed of 36 shows spanning from May 4, 2011 to August 7, 2011.
Fans first believed the announcement to mean that the band were breaking up when, in fact, they are simply stopping their summer tours. Steve Choi has confirmed this in a Playmaker interview:
" To clarify, we're not breaking up. We're just doing our last tour. What we're gonna do in the future, we're not quite sure. That's a big question because it involves what we're going to do collectively and what we're going to do individually. Despite popular belief, we don't live together, sleep together or eat together. Those days have passed. We all have our own lives to tend to. When we're not full time touring or playing shows, we gotta handle business...
Breakfast the Cat has my favorite riffage on this album.
Quote from: wolof7 on Sep 14, 2011, 09:53 PM
Quote from: sweatboard on Sep 14, 2011, 09:52 PM
Quote from: wolof7 on Sep 14, 2011, 09:49 PM
Quote from: ManNamedTruth on Sep 14, 2011, 09:42 PM
Quote from: sweatboard on Sep 14, 2011, 09:41 PM
This third song has a little Mars Volta feel.
I myself feel like they're a more accessible version of Mars Volta, with catchier songs.
Definitely....I love TMV but maybe can stand listening to them 2x/yr....but when I do it's all i wanna listen to
I think Deloused is a masterpiece, they lost me after that.
Agreed and understandable
Deloused is the one I go back to most. Francis The Mute is good too.
Some of the lyrics on this record (white lies) make me think the singer is starting to get worn down with trying to make a living by being in a band. So I'm not suprised they aren't going to be touring.
Brian - you may enjoy the album The Resignation more.
Wolof - Sad news as I've never seen them live. you know how those things go though, nothing is set in stone.
Breakfast Cat is one of my favorite tracks.
I'm digging White Lies right now. Not so much going on. His voice sounds nice on this one.
Bury It Down Low sounds more like some of their older shit.
It's almost like he's singing like the words REALLY mean something to him on White Lies. I bet the lead singer is really proud of this song. At times it comes off like he's the guy who had to come up with something meanful to sing over the bands 6 min. jam session.
Quote from: wolof7 on Sep 14, 2011, 09:56 PM
Breakfast the Cat has my favorite riffage on this album.
Agreed. Kind of sounds like 311.
Quote from: sweatboard on Sep 14, 2011, 10:04 PM
It's almost like he's singing like the words REALLY mean something to him on White Lies. I bet the lead singer is really proud of this song. At times it comes off like he's the guy who had to come up with something meanful to sing over the bands 6 min. jam session.
He is the brains of the band though, him and the drummer are the only two of the original lineup.
I really enjoyed this album....gotta head off early......
I am definitely going to revisit this album....every now and then I crave prog stuff. this got caught right in my wheelhouse tonight thanks MAN.N.T!! :thumbsup:
Quote from: ManNamedTruth on Sep 14, 2011, 10:06 PM
Quote from: sweatboard on Sep 14, 2011, 10:04 PM
It's almost like he's singing like the words REALLY mean something to him on White Lies. I bet the lead singer is really proud of this song. At times it comes off like he's the guy who had to come up with something meanful to sing over the bands 6 min. jam session.
He is the brains of the band though, him and the drummer are the only two of the original lineup.
Does he play an instrument?
Quote from: Ghosts_on_TV on Sep 14, 2011, 10:05 PM
Quote from: wolof7 on Sep 14, 2011, 09:56 PM
Breakfast the Cat has my favorite riffage on this album.
Agreed. Kind of sounds like 311.
Kind of hear it, but i think it's more technical and complicated sounding, especially around the 2 minute mark.
Quote from: sweatboard on Sep 14, 2011, 10:07 PM
Quote from: ManNamedTruth on Sep 14, 2011, 10:06 PM
Quote from: sweatboard on Sep 14, 2011, 10:04 PM
It's almost like he's singing like the words REALLY mean something to him on White Lies. I bet the lead singer is really proud of this song. At times it comes off like he's the guy who had to come up with something meanful to sing over the bands 6 min. jam session.
He is the brains of the band though, him and the drummer are the only two of the original lineup.
Does he play an instrument?
yeah, guitar.
Quote from: ManNamedTruth on Sep 14, 2011, 10:08 PM
Quote from: Ghosts_on_TV on Sep 14, 2011, 10:05 PM
Quote from: wolof7 on Sep 14, 2011, 09:56 PM
Breakfast the Cat has my favorite riffage on this album.
Agreed. Kind of sounds like 311.
Kind of hear it, but i think it's more technical and complicated sounding, especially around the 2 minute mark.
Not the whole song really, just the guitar riff.
I like some of the riffs; I wish I could pin down what kind of tone he was going for. It seems like someone set him lose in guitar center and he's decided to try every different amp, effect peddle, guitar combination in the store......ON ONE SONG!!!
:D
I guess what I'm trying to say is it sounds like the music comes first in this band. It sounds to me like the lead singer and other band members love to play this kind of jammy stuff that transitions all over the place and then the song and lyrics come after that. If that makes sense.
Quote from: sweatboard on Sep 14, 2011, 10:16 PM
I guess what I'm trying to say is it sounds like the music comes first in this band. It sounds to me like the lead singer and other band members love to play this kind of jammy stuff that transitions all over the place and then the song and lyrics come after that. If that makes sense.
This is their jammiest sounding album. I think the lyrics sound meaningful, some of their other stuff has more political content.
Thanks for all the input everyone! With 20 members in this thing, I hope more people start to participate.
Quote from: ManNamedTruth on Sep 14, 2011, 10:24 PM
Quote from: sweatboard on Sep 14, 2011, 10:16 PM
I guess what I'm trying to say is it sounds like the music comes first in this band. It sounds to me like the lead singer and other band members love to play this kind of jammy stuff that transitions all over the place and then the song and lyrics come after that. If that makes sense.
This is their jammiest sounding album. I think the lyrics sound meaningful, some of their other stuff has more political content.
I think I'm just more of a singer/songwritter kind of guy. For instance I would rather sit down and listen to Kurt Cobain play a song on the shittiest two string acoustic guitar ever made than see RUSH demolish Tom Sawyer.
Lyric wise, I think he has some really uplifting messages but the way he puts words together just doesn't do it for me. In my opionion the lyrics kind of mimic what I hear in the music. There are a bunch of notes and a bunch of big words, or just a bunch of words, but in the end it doesn't really hit me.
Quote from: ManNamedTruth on Sep 14, 2011, 10:27 PM
Thanks for all the input everyone! With 20 members in this thing, I hope more people start to participate.
WORD UP!!!
Who has the next pick????
Sorry I missed this one guys, too busy getting ready to head down to Austin tomorrow. Hopefully I can post my thoughts on this record later -- it's a good one!
Quote from: ManNamedTruth on Sep 14, 2011, 10:27 PM
Thanks for all the input everyone! With 20 members in this thing, I hope more people start to participate.
agreed! and I'm guilty as charged, as one of the 20 signed up. I have listened to the album twice, could not make last night. will chime in later with comments and hope to be more active.
me too..I've given the album a listen but not in the appropriate setting. Need to listen a couple more times to let it sink in...
Difficult to participate with the time difference, but I really enjoy catching up on the comments next morning!
Really enjoyed the musicianship on this album. Your writeup at the start describing their evolution was interesting True. Unfortunately the singer was really what kept me from enjoying this album as much as I could have. He kind of reminded me of Bad Religion and it didn't play off of the rest of the music well. I do dig the Rush meets Trail of Dead meets Sublime feel of it for sure.
Quote from: Ruckus on Sep 15, 2011, 09:07 PM
Really enjoyed the musicianship on this album. Your writeup at the start describing their evolution was interesting True. Unfortunately the singer was really what kept me from enjoying this album as much as I could have. He kind of reminded me of Bad Religion and it didn't play off of the rest of the music well. I do dig the Rush meets Trail of Dead meets Sublime feel of it for sure.
I think the reason I like them is because they bridge together the music I used to listen to with things I like about music now. I relate to the musical journey they've been on. I really don't hear the vocals the same way as some of you do. I just don't hear Greg Graffin at all in his voice, that's a lazy comparison. Maybe when you hear the more punkish sounding parts, your brain just goes to punk that's familiar to you. I don't mean to come off sounding harsh, just a friendly musical debate ;). I think Jeff Buckley (if he grew up listening to punk) with a hint of Sting is a pretty accurate comparison.
Quote from: mahg33ta on Sep 15, 2011, 09:29 AM
Quote from: ManNamedTruth on Sep 14, 2011, 10:27 PM
Thanks for all the input everyone! With 20 members in this thing, I hope more people start to participate.
agreed! and I'm guilty as charged, as one of the 20 signed up. I have listened to the album twice, could not make last night. will chime in later with comments and hope to be more active.
No worries! We should all make an effort to drop in sometime throughout the week. I definitely won't be able to make every listening party either.
Here's a video from their previous album, ...And The Battle Begun.
RX Bandits And The Battle Begun Video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mq0j2Ot1NHo#)
I'll have some thoughts either tonight or tomorrow. Work and a lack of life are kicking my ass so I haven't had a chance to do anything...but curse.
After several listens, I still cant quite place this album. I certainly agree with everyone's comments that there is some excellent musicianship on this record. I can say confidently that I like the second half of the album better than the first. Probably from "White Lies" on. Overall, I'll rate the album a solid 6. That could improve with more listens though.
Quote from: ManNamedTruth on Sep 16, 2011, 12:23 AM
Quote from: Ruckus on Sep 15, 2011, 09:07 PM
Really enjoyed the musicianship on this album. Your writeup at the start describing their evolution was interesting True. Unfortunately the singer was really what kept me from enjoying this album as much as I could have. He kind of reminded me of Bad Religion and it didn't play off of the rest of the music well. I do dig the Rush meets Trail of Dead meets Sublime feel of it for sure.
I think the reason I like them is because they bridge together the music I used to listen to with things I like about music now. I relate to the musical journey they've been on. I really don't hear the vocals the same way as some of you do. I just don't hear Greg Graffin at all in his voice, that's a lazy comparison. Maybe when you hear the more punkish sounding parts, your brain just goes to punk that's familiar to you. I don't mean to come off sounding harsh, just a friendly musical debate ;). I think Jeff Buckley (if he grew up listening to punk) with a hint of Sting is a pretty accurate comparison.
Perhaps you are right in considering it a lazy comparison. However, I don't think I was necessarily referring to the tone/sound of his voice but more the way it came across in the most straightforward punk sections.
This band played at the free "festival" Penn State has at the end of every spring semester. They were there in maybe 2005, they sounded much more I think like an indie punk band, I dont remember this much variation in style (although, I admittedly wasnt playing the closest attention then....ahh).
Im really going to have to give this album a couple more listens before even thinking about what my favorite song would be or give it a rating. Im not sure if the first couple songs were just more jarring or I got used to their sound as the album continued. After being 4 songs in, I figured 3 and 4 wouldve both been in my top 3 favorites since I liked them a lot more than the first 2, but as the album continued I started liking it more and more. I had no problem with the vocals, and couldnt even start to talk about the lyrics after 1 listen. Based on bands that Im familiar with, they definitely have their own sound. With how complex and "ADD" there music is, going all over the place, they remind me of a lot of Frank Zappa's more obscure music, and to a lesser degree, Umphrey's McGee, namely with the guitars. Over the last half of the album, they also started to remind me of the punk side of Sublime/singer reminding me of Brad Nowell.
Liked this a lot more than I expected after the first couple songs, definitely deserves repeatedly listens so I have a better feel for it. As for people early on saying they didnt know when they would want to listen to it, IMO this seems like a great album to weightlift, jog, bike ride, hit the heavy bag to.