Have you ever seen those music comparison charts at your local Christian bookstore? Have you ever bought an album thinking it would be similar to the band it was suggesting? I saw one that compared Wu-Tang Clan to KIIS. That's like comparing GG Allin to Burt Bacharach. Those charts have no merit. Many people have been amused by their comparisons, therefore they should update it and put a new comparison edited in: "Fans of Radiohead or Starflyer 59 would love Ester Drang." Yes, I said "love," not like. This album is boldly recommended to anyone that's even remotely interested in emo/indie/shoegazer or any other sub-genre you can make up that pertains to the alternative rock world.
This group first fell on my ears on the Sparkler compilation and I thought, "Oh no! A wannabe Nirvana group," but much to my delight this band is unique, experimental, and hardly a wannabe anything. They were able to play on my emotions and tug on my heartstrings like no album has since Sebadoh's Bakesale, and they still manage to keep the music uplifting and spiritual.
The album seems to fit the criteria of a concept album, having all the songs tie together to form one song, and flowing so easily from one song to the next that you will catch yourself looking at the display to see if the song had changed.
Rather than letting the lyrics guide you, you are directed by the music, and rediscover that sometimes you say the most without saying a word. The music does the talking, and it has a lot to say. The band incorporates static, keyboards, and just plain noise to make a chaotic feel to an album that never sounds pretty, but at the same time is attractive. This focus on the music doesn't mean that Ester Drang doesn't have intelligent lyrics, but rather that they are overshadowed by the music. And as the last song came to an end, I made up my mind to start recommending it to my friends, and now I recommend it to you.
To sum it up; this is an awesome and uplifting album, with sad melodies full of angst, and yet a ray of hope. It's one of those few albums that can let you feel the pain, and yet feel uplifted.
4 tocks
Other coverage for this album
Opus 2001Reviewed by Nolan ShigleyMy "flying through space" screensaver pops on as I sit in front of the computer while listening to Ester Drang and I think "How fitting." I can imagine myself reclined in a chair and listening to this album as I float among the stars and planets while at the controls of a grand rocketship. I guess visiting your local planetarium with a set of headphones could accomplish the same effect (at a much…The Phantom Tollbooth 2000Reviewed by Joe RockstrohThe chaos of a Training for Utopia only with a mellow SF59 "we're more indie then indie" vibe, Ester Drang digs into noise and chaotic distortion with their low tempo guitars, drums and Jason Martin influenced vocals. Swirling loosely connected strands of music intertwine with walls of slightly melodic noise and singing to make an EP that borders on complete "indie music" yet also manages to…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by Josh SpencerShoegazers in space. Ester Drang follow the lead of My Bloody Valentine and early Starflyer 59 with their slow-tempo swirling distortion and soft vocals, but this is further out there. It's at the edge of the galaxy. Picture yourself all alone in a deserted, dilapidated space station, with some faraway pretty pop music drifting through the zero-gravity solitude. Except the frequent feedback,…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by Josh MarihughAny band that tries to follow in the footsteps of Jason Martin, the genius behind Starflyer 59, has to be admired. But a band that not only follows, but follows well, is truly to be respected. Ester Drang is that band, as festival-goers at Cornerstone and Tomfest found out. While following one unfortunate trend, the short CD, Ester Drang manages to pack quite a disc into this 23 minutes. The lack…
