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It is rare to find an album that can transport you from mood
to mood in such a way that you have no real sense of being hauled
along on the emotional journey. The Czars have succeeded
in doing just that. Goodbye is a brilliantly subtle trip
through the human psyche. One moment, John Grant's understated
piano is lulling you into a sense of perfect well being, and the
next Andy Monley's guitar shakes you into a state of restless
tension. This is not music for the faint of heart, but rather
for those that can truly appreciate the divine power of truly
great music.
Our journey begins with "Goodbye", which, in excellent
literary form, gives us a foreshadowing of what is to come on
the record. It is a mini-journey that moves from calm and serene
textures to tension filled moments of extreme sonic glory. "Paint
The Moon" is possibly the most beautiful of Czars songs;
showcasing the talents of each individual member of the band,
from the brilliant drumming, to the 50's era near-country pop
guitar licks. The Czars show their indie chops on songs like "My
Love", creating amazing synthesizer textures to perfectly
compliment their moody pop music. Getting a bit gothic and creepy
on "Little Pink Houses", the band enlists Denver trumpet
legend Ron Miles for some excellent horn playing. "I
Am The Man" moves into science fiction territory, with heavily
vocoded background vocals, a ton of brilliant synth work, and
dueling drum parts. The melodies on "Trash" prove that
even Brian Wilson can be outdone on Beach Boys'
style songcrafting; this song takes basic beautiful melodies and
layers them with pristinely haunting background vocals and abrasive
lyrical content. The sparse sounds of "I Saw A Ship"
offer a nice, short reprieve from the back-and-forth emotions
of the previous songs, but it doesn't last long. The tension once
again begins to mount on "Los", explodes into full pop
glory on "Bright Black Eyes", and finds full noisy glory
on "Pain". This ending of the album is a bit strange,
as "Pain" seems more of an indie rock track, far from
anything else we've ever heard from The Czars, full of lead synth
riffs and heavily distorted guitars. Perhaps it's more signs of
things to come… yet another re-invention of who this band
is.
There is no prouder moment for a musician, or a fan of music,
than when a band that you have grown up with finally comes into
their own - crafting music in such a mature way that they have
obtained some form of perfection. I have always been proud to
know The Czars and to follow their progress and growth throughout
the years. And now, without hesitation, I can honestly say that
I believe that they have found their true voice, and have become
one of the finest bands in the entire musical world.
-Embo Blake
Track Listing:
1. Goodbye Intro
2. Goodbye
3. Paint The Moon
4. The Hymn
5. My Love
6. Little Pink House
7. I Am The Man
8. Trash
9. I Saw A Ship
10. Los
11. Bright Black Eyes
12. Pain
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