View Larger
Rate it!
Avg: 3.5 (17 ratings)
- Date Released: May 15, 2007
- Genre: Alternative/Punk
- Style: Indie Rock, Alternative
- Label: Flameshovel Records / Touch and Go
-
We Say...
The Narrator lost their drummer before the recording of their newest album, All That to the Wall. You’d be hard-pressed to notice, though: the group enlisted plenty of friends to step in where needed and even tailored their songs to have less percussion than ever before. While many would regard the loss of such an integral member of a straight-ahead indie rock band as a crippling blow, the boys took it as an opportunity to begin to experiment with their sound. That’s why you’ll hear artificial drums begin “Son of the Son of the Kiss of Death” and other songs (“A Decade in Kentucky,” “Start Parking”) pretty much give up on them entirely past the simplest of patterns. So, how does the group get by so easily? Everyone else. Sturdy hooks from Sam Axelrod and Jess Woghin and James Barron’s patient bass help cough up some of the group’s best material yet. Besides, who needs a full-time drummer anyway?
-
They Say...
As refreshing and raw as All That to the Wall is, unfortunately it will likely be overlooked by most listeners who are in search of other warmer and more heavily produced releases, which is a shame because this album ultimately feels as real and intimate as a classic Hüsker Dü or Pavement disc, with a timelessness that makes it very accessible; it just might take a little investment. The Narrator could easily squeeze into the '80s/early-'90s genre of indie rock/alternative bands, and like those groups, they make songs that are raw and ultimately rewarding -- like a loyal old friend with a gruff demeanor. The album succeeds most because it manages to straddle the line between neat and sloppy, making for an unpretentious lackadaisical honesty only found in truly great rock bands. The Replacements, Pixies, Meat Puppets, Sloan, and Sunny Day Real Estate may come to mind, as well as many other bands with a straightforward formula of guitar, bass, and drums, but there are also some more direct influences from their hometown of Chicago that shine through, like ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead and Cap'n Jazz. These math-rocky updates on a former alternative style, plus a remake of the Bob Dylan song "All the Tired Horses," with a slow indie rock building-block accumulation of sounds over a repeated chorus, plant this record firmly in modern times. The vocals aren't stunning, the record is certainly not tight, and the production is reverby and cold, but it has an undeniable noisy charm and striking hooks that make it an intimate, lasting experience. And while it isn't an album that will necessarily grab your attention on first spin, after repeated listens it certainly can.
“ The indie iTunes — Hardcore music fans are migrating to eMusic, the iTunes Music Store's cheaper, cooler cousin.”
Rolling Stone
eMusic Tip
Paid downloads are counted towards an album discount but free downloads are not.
COMPLETE FOR FREE!
You can download the rest of the tracks from this album for free! Just click the Complete Album button.
We’re sorry this album can only be downloaded using paid subscription download credits.
We recommend you Save it for Later by clicking the Save for Later button shown just above this message. For a list of related albums you can download right now, check out these recommendations.
We'll give you 11 additional free credits to download this album and start your paid subscription.
Get 11 bonus credits on us if you download this album. Sweet!
| 01. |  |
Son of the Son of the Kiss of Death
|
3:55 |
|
| 02. | |
August 32nd
|
2:44 |
|
| 03. | |
Speeding Up the Gang
|
4:11 |
|
| 04. | |
SurfJew
|
3:04 |
|
| 05. | |
Panic at Puppy Beach
|
4:06 |
|
| 06. | |
All the Tired Horses
|
3:39 |
|
| 07. | |
Start Parking
|
3:35 |
|
| 08. | |
Papal Airways
|
2:52 |
|
| 09. | |
Breaking the Turtle
|
4:27 |
|
| 10. | |
A Decade in Kentucky
|
5:31 |
|
| 11. | |
Chocolate Windchimes |
3:33 |
|
11 Total Tracks, 41:37 Total Length
Loading...
Playlists If you like The Narrator, check out these member playlists
Credits
- Steve Winwood - Keyboards // Mike Lust - Engineer // Mike Lust - Performer // Mike Lust - Mixing // Doug Van Sloun - Mastering // Jeremy Ohmes - Keyboards // Dave Turncrantz - Drums // Dan Fetherston - Drums // Angela Mullenhour - Vocals // Bobby Gallivan - Vocals // Bobby Gallivan - Hollers // Sam Axelrod - Group Member // James Barron - Group Member // MIKE SULLIVAN - Guitar // God's Brother - Audio Production // James Kenler - Piano // Jeremy Ohmes - Keyboards
-
Performers
Dave Turncrantz of Russian Circles played Drums // Dan Fetherston of Oxford Collapse played Drums // Angela Mullenhour of Sybris played Vocals // Robert Gallivan of Bound Stems played Vocals -
Other Details
Choose from over 7 million
music downloadseMusic features legendary and emerging artists in every genre: classic rock to classical,indie to international, soundtracks to spiritual, jazz to country and many more.
MP3 downloads work on any digital media player
With eMusic, you OWN your music without any restrictions. Burn music to a CD, play it on your computer, mobile phone or any digital media player - including iPod®, Zune® and Walkman®.
Songs available for 50¢ or less
eMusic subscriptions start at just $11.99 a month for 24 downloads - that's just 50¢ per song! And it gets better from there - our plans go as low as 42¢ per song!
Music Discovery
eMusic is about discovery. We make finding new music fun again with music recommendations from our award-winning team of music experts, member playlists and new music features.
Cancel anytime
With all the great music and site features we're pretty sure you will love eMusic. If not, no problem. You can cancel at any time and keep the music you have downloaded.
© 1992 - 2010 All Media Guide, LLC