La Dispute - Somewhere At The Bottom Of The River Between Vega And Altair
Record Label: Record Label: No Sleep Records
Release Date: November 11, 2008
Post-Hardcore bands: known for their angry, angsty lyrical content. Lyrics that are on your level, that make you want to also go be angry in some (mostly violent) way. Also recognized for their playing styles: quick drums, and deep guitar that would seemingly fit behind a metal band sans the vocals.
[Cue salesperson voice] And with La Dispute, a whole new concept is introduced that includes BOTH of those pluses tastefully! A concept that combines “spoken word poetry” and hardcore vocals/ instruments. This was a pleasant surprise on my end for a couple reasons: 1) I never listen to this genre of music, simply because it seems to me like all the lyrics portray the same message and 2) because what I hear in (most) music of this genre, I could just as easily hear elsewhere without having to bare through blast beats and cluttered guitar/bass noises.
However, La Dispute is nothing of the generic blast beat sort. How? Well, I’ll explain. The lyrics of Somewhere At The Bottom Of The River Between Vega And Altair are extremely well written. There are no juvenile lines of hatred, heartbreak, and violence, but instead these same themes are displayed in graceful ways and lines and even group chants such as “Though we’re not sure who we are, we keep are heads up. / though we’re not sure where we’re from we keep our heads up.”
Not only do the lyrics - if they were taken from the music - portray every emotion he is clearly feeling to a T, but they also are emotions that everyone can relate to. So although he puts them in a very grammatically correct and poetically dramatic way, with vivid imagery such as “Oh, what more can I say to sway him? To make this statue speak? I swear he's made of stone and I am barely stirring up a breeze," listeners can feel the emotions he is depicting because of not only his descriptive words and emotional vocals, but also because of the instruments behind it.
There is a contrast between the quiet and heavy music that parallels flawlessly with the specific lyrical content. Along with that, there is intricate guitar work, transitioning from pretty plucking to chaotic strumming. They pull elements from post rock and metalcore, creating a blend of atmospheric and heavy tones. This album also showcases drums that are masterfully played to fit all moods of each song; with work that ranges from heavy drumming to african-tribal sounding tom work, to groovy and rhythmic.
This was one of the few bands that I can say caught my ear from the very beginning, and they have quickly become one of my favorites.
I feel like the vocals are what gave these guys an edge. At first, I was a bit turned off by the vocals as well, but after a couple more listens, I felt like the vocals are a vital part. It delivered the lines with such a fervor and energy that you don't see in many of your standard post-hardcore bands.
I feel like the vocals are what gave these guys an edge. At first, I was a bit turned off by the vocals as well, but after a couple more listens, I felt like the vocals are a vital part. It delivered the lines with such a fervor and energy that you don't see in many of your standard post-hardcore bands.
I get that, but I've tried giving them many chances. Still the same result. I do bear through it to listen once in a while though.
La dispute is one of my favorite bands and I think you did a very well job reviewing this album. Would you be interested in reviewing my band Quicksand SwimClub's Debut EP "Red to Black" before its released May 14? let me know and I'll send you the link.
This album is amazing. The only reasons I hear anyone hate them are if they can't get into the vocals or they can't get past the hype. Such a solid release.
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