Review:

on 2008-06-02 kev_stev Said:

On Thrice’s fourth and final EP to the Alchemy Index, Thrice experiment into a new realm of music, eschewing the electronic-based sound found on Water, the climatic crescendos of Fire, and the atmospheric guitar work of Air. The sound of Earth is barer and more stripped down than any of Thrice’s former EPs, reminiscent of Kensrue’s solo acoustic work from 2007. The general problem with the element earth is that its sound is ambiguous, especially in comparison with the former three elements, all of which have some distinctive sound: we have all heard the crackling of fire, the flowing of water, and the whistling of wind. So we are left with a broad picture of what to expect, and Thrice seems as confused as its fans on this EP—sending out raw incarnations of songs to depict the rough, bare, and empty aspects of earth.

In some aspects on Earth Thrice return to their former motivations, drawing lyrics and ideals from various religious texts and figures, respectively. On “Digging My Own Grave,” for instance, Kensrue delves into the issue of desire and self-fulfillment and, reminiscent of St. Augustine, calls on the Lord for guidance. Albeit religious influenced, Thrice’s passion, and overall sound, seems lacking; there are no musical embellishments here: we are presented with bare acoustics, austere lyrics, and occasional piano, a stark contrast to the vast compositions of Air.

This is the main problem with Earth; it takes away from Thrice’s identity (perhaps they were going through an Identity Crisis while recording.) On the first two songs, Kensrue’s vocals dominate the songs and the music acts as mere background sounds. It is not until the third song, Thrice’s cover of “The Earth Isn’t Humming,” until we hear a prominent melody that elicits images of earth—in this case the feelings and sounds of the desert. At any point, the song seems ready to explode, but ultimately it fades out, into the haunting ballad, “The Lion and the Wolf,” which is beautifully composed and produced, but awkwardly placed on the album. The track placement here really takes away from the flow and theme of Earth, though, again, it’s hard to pinpoint what earth should really sound like.

The album’s peak is its single, “Come All You Weary,” where Kensrue’s voice is both melodic and abrasive, and the album finally breaks out into the climatic chorus we have come to expect from Thrice. However, this recollection of their former sound is quickly shattered by the closer, “Child of Dust,” where Thrice sings nearly a cappella, sounding like a drunken trio at a bar—despondent and weak. The song falls flat and is ultimately silenced, letting a booming drone fade out Earth, playing like an earthquake of sound—possibly the first sound that was clearly evocative of its element, though it appeared far too late to make any impact on this EP.

Rating: 5/10

on 2008-05-16 digitalbath Said:

I just want to say that after seeing Thrice live, I really do appreciate and enjoy this album MUCH more than just listening to it on record.
Not Rated