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The Most Serene Republic: Underwater Cinematographer (Arts A

Young Music Reviewer | Boston, MA | 08/06/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The day was going to come where I would listen to an album that I knew wasn't really going to satisfy my imagination until I listen closer. Once I listened to The Most Serene Republic's "Content Was My Favorite Colour" and the music to me felt like a custom-made trailer for what is to come. And I still wonder why I was so afraid to buy the album, really. It sounded like beautiful music drenched in cluttered noise, and frankly it takes more than noise to satisfy and make me call more than just a band with a concept they won't tell us about.



Now I listen to an album, and find a "Prologue". One thing I learned from listening to an album from A&C is to expect some sort of an opening telling you what it was going to be like. How that is this "prologue" reminds me plenty of the building beauty of "Capture the Flag". Electronic drums and a swirling mixture of pianos and guitar can't tell you any different that you will be hooked in an album full of adventure. Not to mention, the type of adventure you wonder how you got sucked into in the first place.



Now I am listening to a song I called a beautiful lead-in and a wonderful listen "Content Was Always My Favorite Colour". When you listen to this, you are probably wondering why I am not complaining about this song sounding unintelligible under instruments, aren't you? It's for the same reason you'll feel careless when you hear My Bloody Valentine's "Sometimes". Even if you don't know what he is saying, one thing's for sure you will deem it the type of beautiful that those who smoke would find intriguing. But like Pink Floyd, "We don't do drugs. You can trust us." "[Oh] God" is just a band kicking the beams higher as musical residents of a lonely world.



Here is where the whole entire cliché kicks in for Indie Rock. The clever titles, long no less: "The Protagonist Suddenly Realizes What He Must Do in the Middle of Downtown Traffic". There is more to come, and that worries me knowing what I may expect. For this song, you may have to take second listens to just to figure out. "Proposition 61" uncannily reminds me a bit of "Stars and Sons". The yelling reminds me of "BABA BADA BABA BADADADA!!!" The bongos are just a treat for the coffeehouse and smokers. And even if you can hear them say something, you can't.



If there is any song that we just don't expect to have a startling beginning, it is in a song like "Where Cedar Nouns and Adverbs Walk". Think of this song as M83, Sufjan Stevens, and From Above 1979 joining forces to create a "Bohemian Rhapsody" for Indie Rock. "I think we all know the words" is just either an "Saramouch, Saramouch." moment, or the band actually knows that we don't know the words and can't hear the words on the album, there fore can't review the album properly. Is surprising humor allowed in this kind of thing? Sheesh. Broken Social Scene has almost the same humor.

"In Place, Empty Spaces" reminds me of electronic punk the same way Queens of the Stone Age's "In My Head" video reminds Josh Homme of Italian Porn. The element is all there. The singer can't properly sing, and the quality was quite messy. At the end there is a running machine warped into different noises. The noise seem like too much of an obvious need to be different in music and ideas. Aint workin'. To tell you the truth, that is as good of an ending to a song as the backwards cymbals were in Coldplay's "Twisted Logic". But at least the plot was too spread out to seem pretentious anywhere. (When did I start using that word "Pretentious" and why?) I would talk about "Relative Eyes" but I wouldn't be able to get past the beautiful drumming infested with drones to cover up from being a bit dry.



"King of No One" sounds like a real pacific theme and elevator music drenched in Jane Arden. If ever there is a song that shouldn't be as short as it is, "King Of No One" is the song which leave you wanting more, if it didn't sound too much like an attempt at reciting poetry over a leftover intermission. Now for the resolution before the end credits "You're a Loose Cannon McArthur.but You Get the Job Done". The beginning dialogue makes me think the album is a love story within fishes. And this script is written verbatim:



Boy: Wait!

Girl: What?

Boy: There's just one more thing.



Oh yeah. The best listen and we wonder what that boy is going to give. It turns out to be an anti-pop that brings in a bit of an emo element half of the time, and on the other end, ending with Sufjan Stevens' signature drumming beat. And just when you think the end credits was going to be just a regular drum beat playing a simple song, the "Epilogue" (Subtitle: End Credits, for those behind) is a dry attempt at acid jazz and ending with organs that will lead you to believe that under all of the crap you don't understand, there will always be a sun to gaze upon. (I don't want any complaints about ending my sentences with a proposition.)



I hate to sound cliché, but I have a strong urge to compare this band to BSS, because they do the same thing that this band is doing. And has the same effect of a man on drugs finding it real intriguing. But I won't do that. There is some times music that will mirror your sight of life, and Arts And Crafts has a knack for doing that. Congrats, to a concept album in which you can find the concept just by listening in. That is, if you are supposed to do that. The Most Serene Republic helped create another genre: Sungazing. You know, shoegazing is music that mostly is played when you sound unhappy, and sun gazing is when you look to the sun and feel euphoria? Oh, nevermind. Just believe that it is worth your mind to bend on a certain basis. Kick out your Starbucks Coffee, your cigarettes, and your black attire and enjoy, folks.

Rating: 7.75/10"

Arts & Crafts has done it again!

Brandon Hoaglin | United States | 07/13/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Once again Arts & Crafts puts out a fantastic record. They are yet to disappoint. This is a very young and talented band, who's best days are to come. I would give this album 3.8 out of 5. It's very lush and atmospheric, much like Broken Social Scene and Stars. I can't believe within a few years Canada went from making some of the worst music to the best. If you like BSS, Stars, Metric, Apostle of Hustle, Feist, the Dears, and all the other similar Canadian bands than you should buy this record. Two things keeps this record from being perfect:

1) The clarity to the vocals isn't the greatest and doesn't always fit.

2) The Vocals sound too much like Death Cabe for Cutie/Postal Service (which I'm not a fan)

"

Stunning

James | Neenah, WI, USA | 02/02/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After being introduced to Broken Social Scene circa 'Bee Hives', I steadily turned into more and more of an indie/ post rock/ electronica junkie. That aside, I may be a bit biased.



But for the love of God, whats in the water in Canada? I have yet to find an Arts and Crafts band that I dislike. The Most Serene Republic is no exception. This band excels at both unique new sounds and a diverse repotoire. Listeners of Death Cab, The American Analog Set, or even some Arcade Fire will love the lyrical complexity and harmonies. At the same time, the use of simple building patterns and shout choruses sound like some pseudo Sigur Ros/ Modest Mouse approach. I must be honest, after reading the lyrics, I was a bit skeptical of what this group would sound like. After all, who knew that such a powerful song could come from a board game analogy? Regardless, this album is simply an incredible piece of work, and I would highly recommend it to anyone with tastes such as these. Soon enough, you'll find yourself driving down the highway late at night singin "III think, we all know the words!"...."