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Ideophonic

Where The Desert Ends

Written by: BV on 10/01/2013 19:01:42

Ideophonic was introduced to me as an experimental indie-rock band. I can’t say I honestly agree with that particular description, but it isn’t really of importance anyway. What is of importance, however, is the fact that Ideophonic has managed to impress me quite a bit with their new-ish album “Where the Desert Ends”. It is a melancholic, bombastic, stadium-like indie-rock album, and as such, a lot of images comes to mind while typing these very sentences. - Images of Coldplay, as well as U2 and Radiohead, but also images of lesser-known bands like As Tall as Lions. All of these different images and influences are what seemingly drives the 4 guys from Texas, known as Ideophonic. And Ideophonic knows how to utilize these influences effectively, I can tell you that.

From the very first seconds, of the very first track called “Four Eyes” the listener is assaulted by the bombastic stadium-rock drumming, indicating that something grand is coming - and the track delivers. The chiming guitars and the pounding rhythm section thoroughly underline the fact that this is supposed to be an “epic” listening experience, where influences from Coldplay in particular, shine brightly through, all the while not being the predominant focus of the song.

This particular feel to the songs generally continues through the albums eight tracks, with few minor detours along the way. One of the bigger detours along the way is the track “Metapsychosis”. The soundscape of “Metapsychosis” seems far more grounded in an inspiration from the alternative rock behemoths in Radiohead, which stands in stark contrast to the overwhelmingly stadium-influenced soundscapes of the rest of the album. However, the Radiohead inspiration is not a bad thing at all. As a matter of fact, it marks a welcome breathing space from the, at times, far too grand soundscape, to which I personally can’t commit myself for longer periods of time. So, contrary to many of my other reviews, the album's detour along the way is actually a highlight in itself, rather than a focus shifter. But if that’s the case, then what are the negative points of this album?

Well, for starters, the soundscape is perhaps a bit too 'Epic', 'Grand' or whatever you might call it, for my personal tastes. I find the whole epic-sounding soundscape, to have a tendency of becoming a bit too bland over time, given many repeated listens. I can’t honestly say if that’s the case with “Where the Desert Ends” yet, but unfortunately, I do expect it to go that way. Honestly, there aren’t many other negative aspects to point out on this album, which also results in the high grade I’ve given. I’m not sure if I’ll remember this album in a year, or two for that sake. But I am confident that at least one track, will be a welcome re-listening experience.

Download: Four Eyes, Metapsychosis, Daggers and Dust
For The Fans Of: Coldplay, Radiohead, As Tall as Lions
Listen: facebook.com

Release Date 27.10.2012
Self-released