By Al Bruting
The theme to listen for in this release is the true artistic voice coming through and learning so stand on its own. This is the first full length release for Shane Burrow and BingeNinja and its as diverse as it is easy to spot a strong songwriter shining through. Starting at track one, "Come Make Me Disappear," the guitars quickly become distorted with knee jerk speed breaks and the vocals build to a scream... Skip to the next song. "Trephining". A settled down sound, and a haunting throw back to Seal at times, it shows definite promise and keeps the disc in the player. This song clearly shows losing the screaming vocals cleans up to a great sound. The screaming that does sneak in is a distraction and the heavier sound is much less interesting in its musical construction. "Why do it over" is a basic revisit to the grunge formula. Skipping to "I'm not Alive". Sounds like a slightly harder edge on the Nirvana sound.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjuqPpH1W9s
Onto "Just like Suicide" a more subdued but distorted electric guitar sound. Burrow sings like Eddie Vetter and its not great but not terrible, so you skip along again. Because you know from listening to "Trephining" there is probably something more waiting for us ahead. Then comes "Big Black Lies," holy crap, I nearly got double vision from jolt. Skipped to the next track "Anything But Love" and it was worse, it sounded like an angry rant backed up by an amateur one man drum circle. If this is art, there's definitely more interesting artistic expressions for anger. If you're not feeling too angst ridden, the screaming won't cut it for you. If your down with an angry sound, this may end up on repeat in your player.
OK, we new it was here somewhere. And then the reason to make this band one to watch is the final track, "Fire Into The Dark." Where did this song come from, its excellent. The lyrics are great, the vocals are nice. There's piano and some strings, harmonies, well put together. This song would not be at all out of place on a Smiths album. Its time to start mining for more because this song is the real deal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH1e6mcKY6A
The sound on this song goes back to a track called "A Start" off a prior release "kissing at summer camp". This is the first song I have heard from any group that has the spirit of the late Eliott Smith alive in it. These tracks vary from deep and raw cuts that show the real man, and there are heavier cuts as well. But as many of us remember, Elliott had his days with Heat Miser too. To steel a line from A great songwriter. "All men of music must eventually decide weather to become artists or rock stars". Well, you know what we hope you decide to do.
BingeNinja can keep stepping on the distortion pedals and screaming, but they have an undeniable depth evolving just below this surface. When this band lets us see this great emotion, the honesty shows us the real talent hiding beneath.
Keep Reinventing BingeNinja because were guessing what we've seen has just been a peek.
http://bingeninja.bandcamp.com/album/the-dead-artisan-the-new-artist-self-destruction-for-re-invention