Medicine Show
Reviews
Wedge
Reviewed 2012-08-24
Reviewed 2012-08-24
Dark yet catchy rock instrumentals, not necessarily disturbing but certainly not cheery. Guitar-based tracks that are like mini rock anthems; keyboard/sampler tracks that remind me of The Residents -- all with real drums and a weird backing sheen. Songs are all short: Here's the idea, and now we're done.
Tobias is the production/engineering mind behind Guided by Voices' last several albums, adding lots of dark, noisy elements to them. I think he's also hugely responsible for the sound of the Robert Pollard band Circus Devils, although "Medicine Show" isn't as dark or jagged as that.
FCC clean. MANY TRACKS SEGUE, so watch yer starts & endings.
1- Midtempo, low-key guitar angst. Simple dark rhythm.
2- Calm, new-agey, bright. Harp! And a jarring horn call.
3- Tiki lounge dance: busy and bubbly. Bass + lotta percussion.
4- Slowish wavering
5- Kinda 80s/electroclash. Upbeat but diffidently non-fast.
6- Guitar grind: midtempo rocking riffs
7- Heavy, slow piano; lotta echoey effects
8- Looped guitar riffs. Tumbling. Pleasant in a cerebral way.
9- Catchy little beat, springy little muppet sound in the melody
10- Midtempo rock. Guitar rhythm like a GbV song coming on!
11- Very Residents-like. Weird sounds playing simple scales.
12- Big drama/tension.
13- Manic, playful... then slower and anthemic. Lotsa drums.
14- Horror-movie organ and beastly growls
15- Big slow evil melody. Clashing drums.
16- Honestly pretty with a touch of heaviness. Piano + angelic chords.
Tobias is the production/engineering mind behind Guided by Voices' last several albums, adding lots of dark, noisy elements to them. I think he's also hugely responsible for the sound of the Robert Pollard band Circus Devils, although "Medicine Show" isn't as dark or jagged as that.
FCC clean. MANY TRACKS SEGUE, so watch yer starts & endings.
1- Midtempo, low-key guitar angst. Simple dark rhythm.
2- Calm, new-agey, bright. Harp! And a jarring horn call.
3- Tiki lounge dance: busy and bubbly. Bass + lotta percussion.
4- Slowish wavering
5- Kinda 80s/electroclash. Upbeat but diffidently non-fast.
6- Guitar grind: midtempo rocking riffs
7- Heavy, slow piano; lotta echoey effects
8- Looped guitar riffs. Tumbling. Pleasant in a cerebral way.
9- Catchy little beat, springy little muppet sound in the melody
10- Midtempo rock. Guitar rhythm like a GbV song coming on!
11- Very Residents-like. Weird sounds playing simple scales.
12- Big drama/tension.
13- Manic, playful... then slower and anthemic. Lotsa drums.
14- Horror-movie organ and beastly growls
15- Big slow evil melody. Clashing drums.
16- Honestly pretty with a touch of heaviness. Piano + angelic chords.
Recent airplay
Half Animal
The Sunset Life — Nov 15, 2012
Fanfare Of The Impalers
Music Casserole — Nov 03, 2012
Charting
2012-09-28 — 2012-11-30
| Week Ending | Airplays |
|---|---|
| Nov 18 | 1 |
| Nov 4 | 1 |
Track listing
| 1. | Night Of The Clubfoot | ||
| 2. | Manatoc Is Born | ||
| 3. | Half Animal | ||
| 4. | Pre-Dawn Visitation | ||
| 5. | The Children Follow | ||
| 6. | Clubfoot's Return | ||
| 7. | Shadows With Teeth | ||
| 8. | Flesh Interval | ||
| 9. | Asmodaeus And The Unlucky Traveler | ||
| 10. | The Pathfinder | ||
| 11. | Burial Mound | ||
| 12. | Medicine Show | ||
| 13. | Manatoc Enters The City / The Long Fall | ||
| 14. | Death Watch | ||
| 15. | Fanfare Of The Impalers | ||
| 16. | Prayers To A Blind Sky |