Sunday, October 3, 2010

The Deadly Syndrome - Nolens Volens (V0)


I unfortunately didn't hear about The Deadly Syndrome until earlier this year, when I was still spending all my nights in my room awake until 3 AM just listening to music and watching re-runs of Reno 911. I had heard about them from a friend who, ever since I had taken him to a Blind Pilot show, was obsessed with this understated, simplistic pop sound. The songs they do remind me of lost journal entries, or small composition notebooks filled with thoughts and musings about people and love.

Say what you know,
and fake what you don't,

You can't accept,
They won't have kept,
Your name with your death,
and life will be easier.

– "Wingwalker"

Nolens Volens, their 2010 self-released album, carries an aesthetic feel that almost feels ambient at times. The songs "Villan" and "Afterwork," while retaining a somewhat poppy aesthetic, seem to go into self-indulgent territories, which is something absent from most music like this these days. One of my favorite things about The Deadly Syndrome is the careful attention they put towards the instrumentation. There are plenty of swelling synths and calm acoustic guitars, which balance well with the pop-rock songs like "Party City," which almost gives a Rogue Wave vibe. It's a great album for the autumn season, so take this one with you somewhere. You won't regret it.

Download it here, buy it here.

I also invite you to have a listen to their 2007 release, The Ortolan.

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