Emma Ate the Lion - Songs Two Count Too (2013)

Jesum, this is some incredibly self-assured progressive math. Massachusetts-based Emma Ate the Lion hurl some varied styles at the wall and they paint the picture of a group ready to take on anything. Post-hardcore breaks? Progressive structures? Time changes? Soaring vocals? all here firing in sync. The biggest asset these guys have (aside from everything) is that keyboard/organ player absolutely ripping it hard and dictating each song's next few steps. Vocals firmly throw this in the realm of math-pop but perhaps the most diverse pop I've heard in a dog's day. It's refreshing to hear a group so comfortable in a sound they clearly have crafted for themselves. While the genres are familiar the presentation is captivating to listen to unfold before you.

HIGHLY suggest that everyone with a passing interest in anything music related needs to check this out.
Dare I say this is my new favorite album? Certainly
one to dethrone on this last quarter of 2013.  

EATL (2013)   

POSTMADONNA - Postmadonna (2013)

The first time I heard these guys in 2011 with their release VALIS it was a sound of a band that had lofty goals but was still undecided. Their 2012 release began cementing their unique math rock sound as a unit. Here we have what I would consider their first unified statement, and a bold one at that.

In many ways this is math pop ..... in structure ...sometimes... and vocals...sometimes... Its hard to pin and thats the mark of a group that is comfortable in the skin they have created for themselves. Of course you can point to new school elements cribbed from more recent groups but that would be unfair because the heart that went into creating this is incredible. It also has to be mentioned that this mama has a density that I rarely see in math these days. Every moment is teaming with something awesome going on in some way. It's a huge sound and truthfully if done improperly it could collapse on itself like a dying star and be a mud math mess. I will say that headphones help to really dig into the nuances of the pieces.

It occurs to me that I haven't even spoken about the instruments. Lets just say "dees cats is nasty" Razor dime turns into grand mini chorus's that disappear in a moment into the actual pay off. This is the kind of thing I live for in math rock.

postmadonna