Search - Strezo :: this balance

Strange union of sounds that set out to prove a point

Feminist Review blog | worldwide | 09/18/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Strezo's debut album, This Balance, is a mixed bag. The album's title alone does a great job of defining what a listener is about to hear - a strange union of sounds that set out to prove a point. The problem is the point is never quite clear, and the album turns out to be a balancing act without the implied fun of the circus.



To Strezo, music is more art than enjoyment. This is not to say that This Balance isn't enjoyable; it is, just not entirely. The album is caught in a bit of a musical limbo, somewhere between free-flowing melodies and heavy vocals where it seems one might be wedged eternally if the band never tired. The variety of instruments creates a richly textured sound that may not please all listeners, but is definitely worth a listen. Each song is like a little journey into a mildly depressing world whose occupants breathe urgency instead of oxygen. There is no question that this is a serious album, with Kristen Strezo's quasi-operatic voice lending a sense of weightiness to the endeavor. The percussion is one of the most elemental aspects of This Balance. Borrowing heavily from the vast genre of world music, the drum beats keep the listener grounded in an often aimless world.



At times, the listener may get the feeling that Strezo sampled an ambient soundscape album, and took it to a new level. But with its vaguely ethereal quality, that's not necessarily a bad thing."