I did not entirely know what I was getting into when I heard this band claimed to be “orchestral rock.” So when the first track opened with latin sounding instrumentation, heavy symbols and then an intense, chipper violin, I was even more lost than before.
I had no expectations when I started listening to this album, and in a way that paid off. The first track threw me with its almost too aggressive string arrangement, but by the second and third tracks I was pleasantly surprised to hear them tone down the harsh strings and amp up the vocals.
The second track on the album stands out from the rest of the songs. It is fully driven by slow, melodic strings which directs the listener’s attention to the captivating lyrics and Noam Faingold’s deep, but gentle voice.
The best parts of this album are almost always lyrical.
The composition of the strings in this album are nice and pleasing but at times feel very forgettable and at other times are very aggressive.
The parts of this album that stick out are moving moments lyrically and most of the time the music only works to mirror that, not to add anything new or unique.
If I hadn’t sat down with the intention to write a review on this album I probably wouldn’t know these songs came from the same album, let alone the same band.
This is not necessarily a bad thing; each track is distinctively its own.
The opening song titled “Madame” is driven by the heavy, choppy instrumentation.
The second track, “Allinmymind” focuses much less on the instrumentation and much more on powerful vocals and sing-songy lyrics.
The third track, “Inspiration Hits Like an Atomic Bomb” is a sweet love song that combines commanding strings and a bouncy melody with catchy lyrics.
Throughout the record, each track has something that differentiates it from the others. Although this disrupts the flow it showcases the band’s potential for adaptability and growth in developing their sound.
Something that is fairly unique to this band is that they are making orchestral music a little more accessible to the masses with rock and jazz influences.
The vibe of this album is not overwhelmingly orchestral at all; it doesn’t feel anything like the Transiberian Orchestra and they will probably be able to pull a wider audience because of that overlapping of genres and style.
If the idea of orchestral rock with slight jazz influences does not interest you, listen to this album for gems of pick-up lines you can try on the cutie you’ve been eyeing in your accounting class all semester.
Next class try telling him/her that “your goodness turns me on,” or “I don’t believe in God but you remind me of salvation,” and when you’re on your first date remember to thank the TU Alumni of Burning City Orchestra for their lyrical ingenuity.