{"id":39701,"date":"2006-03-31T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2006-03-31T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dailyvault.adishjain.in\/index.php\/reviews\/something-to-melt-the-silence\/"},"modified":"2006-03-31T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2006-03-31T00:00:00","slug":"something-to-melt-the-silence","status":"publish","type":"review","link":"https:\/\/dailyvault.adishjain.in\/index.php\/reviews\/something-to-melt-the-silence\/","title":{"rendered":"Something To Melt The Silence"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

When track one — “And You Are” — of Swandive’s
\ndebut effort Something To Melt The Silence<\/i>, begins with a
\nmellifluously catchy piano-hook, you are almost certain to guess
\nit’s Coldplay doing another of its “Trouble”\/ “Clocks”\/ “Speed Of
\nSound” ballads again and are ready to shake your head in dismay at
\nChris Martin and his gang.<\/p>\n

But on the realization that it is not Coldplay and is
\nin fact a little-known band named Swandive, the disappointment at
\nColdplay turns into utter disgust at this no-name imitator. That
\nis, until the track progresses and you realize that this obscure
\nact from San Diego is actually not bad after all, and furthermore,
\nwhen the song reaches a moment of brilliance as singer\/guitarist
\nScott Spick does an amazing Jeff Buckley falsetto during the
\ntrack’s final chorus, you find the hair on the back of your neck
\nstanding up.<\/p>\n

Moments of such brilliance come in plentitude as the
\nrecord progresses, and at the end the album leaves you completely
\nin awe. This is what makes Swandive so special. The first track is
\nenough to indicate that they are heavily inspired by Coldplay, the
\nthought of which brings queasiness, and though there is nothing new
\nin Swandive’s kind of music, the beauty of this act is its superb
\nmusicianship and song arrangements that are in a league of its
\nown.<\/p>\n

The music mixes the cragginess of American alt-folk
\nsound with mushiness of contemporary Brit-pop, and Spick is a
\nbreathtaking singer, matching the near-impossibility of Jeff
\nBuckley. Great artists like Buckley can be inspiring, but to sound
\nlike him needs really serious talent, which show in Spick’s
\nhigh-pitched maniacal yells (“Mercy Begins” and “Fringe Glider”),
\nor drunken sexiness (“Drifting Slowly” and “Ana”), or just plain
\nsexiness (“Push, Pull\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6Choke” and “You’ll Never Know”). With
\nthe range of notes that Spick hits, and his effortless ability to
\nreach them, he might well be one of the most charismatic singers in
\nrock today; this is not an overstatement.<\/p>\n

The only concern with this album is that a couple of
\ntracks tend to be too much like a Buckley or a Coldplay track. For
\ninstance, the aforementioned “Mercy Begins” sounds like a copy of
\nBuckley’s “Grace,” from its psychedelic guitar hook to its mad
\neruption towards the end. Also, the riff on “Meaning Of It All” is
\nall too close to Coldplay’s “In My Place.” However, these cuts are
\nso wonderfully done that they are as heavenly as the rest of the
\nrecord.<\/p>\n

Something To Melt The Silence<\/i> is a fantastic
\ndebut effort. It is a pleasure listening to music so intense,
\nsimple, complex, beautiful, sexy, and edgy at the same time. This
\nis music with depth, straight from the heart, honest and earnest.
\nIndeed, a great masterpiece by an amazingly talented act.<\/p>\n

[For more information on Swandive, visit www.swandive.us<\/a>]<\/p>\n

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