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Product Description
Review
Thrice appear to be getting better and better with every album released. Major/Minor is their seventh studio album and certainly follows that upwards trend: the follow-up to 2009's Beggars may well be the Californian quartet's best yet. The thing that strikes you immediately is how remarkably honest-sounding this record is, frontman Dustin Kensrue's voice clear and true. It sounds as if the songs have simply been recorded and released, with no post-production activity. There's little-to-no treatment on his gravelly voice, and there's a simplicity to the music and songs that allows the listener to enjoy them at a very elemental level.
The amount of groove in opening track, Yellow Belly, offers a comforting aside to the desperation in Kensrue's vocals as he yells, "You don't care." As straightforward as the song might initially seem, its construction and delivery are far from easy. It comes across as emotional in the same way as Rival Schools, with a yearning evident but a superior musical control to balance the outpourings. The upbeat but melancholy, achingly beautiful Blinded is a perfect example of this band's expert poise.
Riley Breckenridge is an exceptional drummer: something worth focusing on alone, as his contributions are consistently of a superb standard. He delivers more unorthodox, jazzier moments like in Words in the Water as well as he does the straight-ahead sections like in the �Trail of Dead-like Listen Through Me. Breckenridge, whose brother Eddie plays bass here, has reached an impressive level of technical ability without overdoing anything, without dominating the mix to the detriment of the whole. The punchy rhythms that run all the way through Cataracts are just another testament to the man's incredible skills.
If there's a vague criticism to be directed at Major/Minor, it's that it could be perceived as one-paced by some. There aren't any real ballads to be found, nor is there anything too fast, either; there's nothing exceptionally heavy, but nor is there anything too lightweight. The relaxed yet powerful vibe that permeates, however, is constant and comfortable. This is the sound of a band hitting their stride and just running with all of their strengths on show - and there can be no complaints about that.
--Raziq Rauf
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CD Description
On September 19th, 2011 Thrice will release Major/Minor, their 7th studio album. The band also released their 4th installment of the behind the scenes look into the recording process. View the video here: www.THRICE.net. The recording of Major/Minor began May 2nd in Santa Monica, CA with Dave Schiffman at Red Bull Studios who mixed Beggars and engineered Vheissu. As a band that continues to push boundaries, Major/Minor will be no exception. It s definitely the most natural progression from record to record that we ve had in a while. We did The Alchemy Index, which was totally different [from Vheissu]. Then Beggars was kind of the reaction against that. This kind of makes sense coming out of Beggars, but it s definitely a different record, says lead singer Dustin Kensrue. The California-based four-piece formed in 1998 and quickly exploded onto the modern rock and heavy music scenes with their 2001 full-length debut, Identity Crisis, which was followed by fan-favorite scorchers The Illusion of Safety (2002) and The Artist In The Ambulance (2003), as well as the breathtakingly brilliant Vheissu (2005). The Alchemy Index s Fire and Water installments introduced the album s elaborate concept in 2007, and then Earth and Air completed the project s scope in 2008. For the 2009 release of Beggars, Thrice found themselves with the luxury of playing whatever came naturally, with no preconceived direction. From the outset the vibe was a welcome change from the rigid framework behind the Alchemy Index s element-based concept, and soon all four members were deeply immersed in the project. This will lead the band to the release of their 7th studio album, which they could not be more excited about. I m really proud of the record. I d probably say that for anything we ve done, but I guess that s just because of the approach of the record. We ve been pushing ourselves really hard, and I like to think we re probably our own toughest critics, says Kensrue.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Yet again Thrice don't dissapoint.,
By Dismantle. Repair. (Surrey) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Major/Minor (Audio CD)
Thrice have proven themselves time and time again to be one of the most diverse bands in history of music and this album does not disappoint. This is not hyperbole. Back in 2002 Thrice released Illusion of Safety which was a milestone for 'post-hardcore/punk' bands everywhere. This was followed up by Artist in the Ambulance which is probably my favourite album ever, it was very heavy and extremely energetic. The next album Vheissu took on a new direction becoming more melodic, with some incredible songs. The next album(s) Alchemy Index are an amazing piece of art in themselves. They were really diverse having all sorts of genres from electronic to folk to hardcore on them. As a complete reaction to this Beggars was released. This was extremely raw and sounded just like 4 people jamming. The result was a fantastic album which got better on every listen. The new album Major/Minor follows on where Beggars left off. From a musical point of view Major/Minor is fascinating, it's unpredictable and very exciting. A lot of the time Major chords will slot in to places where the listener would expect a minor chord which makes for an intense listen. The lyrics are also phenomenal, it makes a difference from pop music to hear meaningful lyrics that look deep into life. Like Beggars Major/Minor gets better with every listen. I would encourage you to listen at least 3/4 times before coming to a conclusion. For any existing fans be aware that Thrice have progressed beyond the days of Illusion of Safety. I should also mention that the drumming by Riley is amazing, this album has allowed him to show of his more technical side of drumming.Stand out songs include... 'Yellow Belly' 'Anthology' 'Call it in the air' I hope you enjoy Major/Minor and Thrice as much as I do.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another Brilliant Thrice Record,
By
This review is from: Major/Minor (MP3 Download)
Whilst not the sonic revolution that many expect from Thrice on the release of a new album, Major/Minor is consistently brilliant from start to finish, with a beautiful spectrum of music and tales from the pen of Mr Dustin Kensrue, the lead singer of the band. From the explosive opening of Yellow Belly through to the haunting closure of Disarmed, the band takes you through an audible tour-de-force of emotion, spiritual belief and social commentary without preaching - a fine line to tread, but one which Thrice have tread so well over the last decade.I'm not going to comment on all tracks, but the pacing on the album is nigh perfect, particularly between the eclectic Cataracts (Track 4) to the dream-like Words In The Water (Track 8) with Anthology (Track 10) proving to be a real stand out track, charting the history and evolution of the band over the last decade perfectly. To all Thrice fans over the years and those just starting with the band, Major/Minor is a quality record (certainly one of the stand-outs of the year) that will keep you hooked for many listens. It's beauty seeps from every note, beat and word into a record that you owe to your ears to listen to.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.6 out of 5 stars (40 customer reviews) 19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
New wine.,
By D. Curry - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Major/Minor (Audio CD)
You're going to inevitably read reviews that go something like "Why doesn't Thrice go back to their thrash metal ways?"The answer is that they have already conquered that mountain. Their music is like wine -- it gets better with time, and nobody puts new wine into old wineskins... So please don't listen to any reviews that focus on what Thrice isn't, or used to be. This review is about Major/Minor, but I will say that there are moments that hark back to Vheissu (Treading Paper has a movement that really reminds me of Of Dust and Nations) and Beggars (the organic feel of Beggars continues in Major/Minor, but things are a bit more polished with M/m). This is incredibly mature songwriting, both lyrically and musically. Kensrue's lyrics are poetic and profound. The music, written collaboratively, must have been written with the lyrics in mind, because the combination of music and word is seamless. Each song seems to be a study in contrasts, which makes the title Major/Minor very fitting. My favorite contrast is explored most explicitly in Words in the Water. Personal favorites (so far): Blinded, Treading Paper, Words in the Water, Blur, Call It in the Air. You don't need to be a Thrice fan to like this. You just have to like good music. 10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An amazing band that continues to deliver time and time again,
By A. Napier - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Major/Minor [VINYL] (Vinyl)
This band seems to be able to change their sound, and do it well, every single album. This quality is very rare in a band, and says loads about their talent. Major/Minor delivers such a wide array of rock from start to finish, and its quite entrancing. Don't expect to hear any synth on this record, just raw guitar greatness. Dustin's vocals are absolutely incredible, and the band as a whole has done a fantastic job with this one. Check out "Treading Paper", "Listen Through Me" and "Disarmed".
8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Just what you would expect from Thrice,
By Garrett Redd "thursday_1212" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Major/Minor (Audio CD)
If you are a Thrice fan, you know what I'm about to say.....I know you've come to expect greatness.I said it in my last Thrice review for the Album "Beggars", it is a real pleasure to watch these guys grow from album to album. The fact of the matter is Thrice has knocked it out of the park with "Major/Minor". The intensity of this album both lyrically and musically is unmatched in their catalog thus far. That is saying alot, I know, but after the first spin of the album I just felt like something different is happening hear....EVERYTHING WORKS. I first noticed it with Dustin's vocal delivery. Know Dustin has always been a powerful singer, and no stranger to releasing emotion, however on this album the honesty and connection to the material is just masterful, he means every single word he says and sings. You can't argue that. Next, THE GUITARS, where do I start, well, they take it to the next level, sound spectacular, and never let it up. The 1st time I fully disgested Thrice's album Vheissu back in 2005/2006, I thought to myself, okay this is their masterpiece how can they possibly keep this up in the years to come. Well they certainly have from album to album in the years since, and come dangerously close to topping Vheissu here with Minor/Major. But, I dont want to get into comparing the albums, they are seperate projects anyway, and this one is GREAT in it's own way. Powerhouse performances from all envolved. Good Job Thrice. Again. |
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