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GROWING “Never before has Growing so prominently emphasized stomping melody and kinetic rhythm. They're this close to being a rock band while still sounding like their weird selves, which makes this their most accessible album to date. Throughout it all, a formerly suppressed thrum percolates right on the surface, making this cruising music for Brian Eno fans - no mean feat for a band that, like many others in their milieu, began as sculptors of wisps and vapors before hitting their thunderous stride.” - Pitchfork “Growing produce unashamedly upbeat music that infuses distortion and throbbing harmonics with a sense that playfulness can be enjoyed for its own sake. The overall effect may be part shamanic dance to the thrum of the universe, part 1980s arcade game, but All The Way exploits the transcendent powers of both.” - The Wire “Growing’s rhythmic and melodic interplay is the accomplishment to look out for here, makes one wonder if the emphasis on the transcendence of their live show misses just how successful a headphone band Growing is.” - Dusted All The Way concludes a epic trip. Through six tracks Kevin Doria and Joe DeNardo continue the conceptual arc initiated on their 2006 album, Color Wheel. If we still bought into genres, we would say that this record finally achieves a perfect balance of noise and pop, yet what we can say is that you’ll potentially hum melodies long after your headphones are out. Recorded by Barry London at his Ocropolis Studio during the 2007-08 winter, All The Way sounds like some sort of frozen urban chaos taking place at a superclub on another planet. Opener “Green Flag” sets the record’s tone. Instead of keeping the form free, a crunchy guitar texture oscillates through a drum machine, setting a distinct and danceable rhythm that forms the foundation for tone bubbles to peel off the edges of your speakers. The next track, “Wrong Ride,” might remind the listener of a never-ending roller coaster ascent – mixing subtle dub elements with interweaving sound sculptures reminiscent of The Field. “Lens Around” continues to touch on abstract, whip-like dance rhythms in a refreshing organic context as the propulsive low-end mixes with a watery, melodic lead. “Rave Pie Only” takes the band’s percussive exploration to its extreme – sounding akin to Total Life (solo project of Kevin Doria). The track throbs with a four-to-the-floor pulse that could conceivably stun listeners with how far the band has come from their fluid beginnings. In a year with The Social Registry, the band released a killer seven-inch single and the mini-album Lateral – all while fuzzing-out faces across Europe with Japanese noise-kings, Boris. All The Way is the perfect culmination of that journey. It blows records of its ilk out of the water, and shows just how lazy and dogmatic the clones of bands like Growing have become. |
Catalog Number: TSR065 Tracklisting: Itunes version includes an exclusive bonus track of "Rave Pie Only" live featuring Atsuo of Boris All Tracks Listed In Blue Are Linked To A Downloadable MP3 |