Phoenix And The Turtle – Swallow Up The Moon

Releasedate: 12-02-2010; Label: Fluttery Records
By: Nina Mende

Phoenix And The Turtle is a Post Rock band from California formed in 2003 as a collaboration for a friend’s funeral. Their apparent weird name comes from a poem by William Shakespeare which deals with the death of ideal love.

Post Rock is known to be a very intense genre. When it comes to be this blended with other styles, its intensity might reach even more powerful levels. Phoenix And The Turtle decided to give every instrument the same importance as the vocals have, that are actually sparely used in the album. The variation of piano melodies, screeching guitars arpeggios and strings are there to express the songs feeling at their best. The general melancholic mood of the album stays quite the same for all the songs, but not the way it is brought to the listener. “Line Drive” might remind a little of a jazz sound where male and female vocals are well blended with the music. The rhythm of “514” is driven by the piano melodies which is widely used and prevails on the other instruments. As for the rest, the complexity acme is reached in the last two songs which could easily synthesize the band style. Especially “Wasted Time” carries such a dramatic but still innocent sound, made by Valerie’s voice, that appears extremely outstanding.

It’s pretty stunning the power that these only four songs can deliver, that in the end makes you crave for more. Too bad “Swallow Up The Moon” is this short, but while waiting for another album you can listen to this little masterpiece until you wear it out.

Tracklist: 1. Line Drive 2. 514 3. Stuart Drives A Comfortable Car 4. Wasted Days

Links:
Phoenix And The Turtle MySpace