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EDIT INFOThe Honorary Title - Anything Else But The Truth
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Album Details
- Artist: The Honorary Title
- Album: Anything Else But The Truth
- Label: Doghouse
- Year of Release: 2004
- ME Rating:
- Reviewed by: dscanland on 2004-09-24
RecommendThe Honorary Title is a band from Brooklyn made up of Jarrod Gorbel and Aaron Kamstra. The two have a fine pop style that fits nicely between the emo styles of Dashboard Confessional and the more traditional singer/songwriter style of Pete Yorn. Except for an EP released on Self-Starter Foundation, Anything Else But The Truth is the first album for The Honorary Title. It's quite an impressive debut with some heavily thought out lyrics and clever arrangements, provided by multi-instrumentalist Kamstra. Not sure how they pull this off live but it sure sounds good on an album. The songs don't have immediate hooks but with a bit of warming up to Gorbel's style you can't help but appreciate his style. He does a little scream/crooning on a couple tracks like "Everything I Once Had" reminding us of the dreaded emo genre. At some points it becomes a little much when Jarrod gets all Chris Carraba on us. But for the most part, he proves that he is a very good vocalist. He even does a little Conor Oberst on the album closer, "Cats In Heat", almost sounding like a cat in heat. "Bridge and Tunnel" is the best track on the album and you can see a video of it at their website. Doghouse is a good home for The Honorary Title. I think it might serve them good.
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on 2007-09-27 hstisgod Said:
For all the talk we do about Death Cab roun' here, this album is severely undermentioned as some of the best unknown Eclectic format similar to Conor and his wave of melodies.
First heard of and heard at SXSW '05. After schlepping their equipment on watching a terrific performance and schlepping it off 25 mins later, I asked for their CD, and promised a review when it was handed to me. Nearly three years later, this CD will not intimidate me any longer. SO I figure, let's write a review. Dennis, beat me to it...
After attempting a review in 2005 and realizing its phenomenal feel, It seems more special after I find Long Island references on songs such as "Cut Short". Quirky little guitar strokes in an echoed distortion, lead vocals bleed definitively. "When I said you look good baby, I was thinking possibly or maybe." Yea, its a love song, and even one of those that reminds me of a girl. But it's the melody and rhythm that keeps bringing me back, not the memories.
If you were driving next to me
Say, on the LIE
My eyes would become so engaged
I'd float unconsciously
Into the HOV
Kill myself, the guy in front of me
His inflatable passengers of one, two.
or three.
Want the Garage Rock sound with out all the BS of predictable breaks for the genre of it? Track two "Bridge The Tunnel" has an constant beat and progression that it never flails from. As for lead vocals, they jump and dive in ways so comfortable, but for some reason seem so unique. A Bridge deep into the song features a deep bass throughout the instrumentation and vocals and happens back upon the original melody.
Everything I once had probably beats the most heartbeats of Honorary Title. Slow and melodic that begins with a simple line. "There's a hole in the trust that we mapped out, In my bed for six long months", Most impressive about this track is the uninhibited vocal fit that seems to come to a unprecedented soprano-aggression.
You weren't fazed
It's over with
You my beautiful
Your beautiful blue and white
Your beautiful blue and white
No this CD is not full, the filler lies in the last tracks, but even those become comfortable fables after many listens. Anything Else But The Truth by Honorary Title, though loaded on the front end, and weakens as it concludes, is one of my most treasured progressive acoustic rock CD's. This CD is worth every drop of sweat I worked that week at SXSW 2005.
Rating: 10/10
