Pete's Pick: Vacuity

18-Aug-2008 10:10 PM

Vacuity / At The Command Of The Blanket Sky 13 Track CD © 2008 Vacuity This article contains free downloads.

Since the release of At The Command Of The Blanket Sky in March by Kitchener-based Vacuity, I've been listening to it with steadily increasing frequency, causing it to be in my top 10 weekly listening charts more than a few times over the past couple of months. Like any great album, there are some songs that caught me right away (e.g. Beckoning), but it was the more complex songs (e.g. Tamer Than Anything) that grew to be my favourites after repeated listens. Only time will tell, but I suspect this album will be part of my listening playlists for many years to come.

The order of songs on the album is excellent, like a carefully crafted set list, the transition from song to song serves to make both songs better, with a great example being the transition from My Body Is A Void to The Worst Thing. From the masterful guitar work from Greg Osborn to the melodious vocals of Rob McFee, though the driving bass lines of Paul McGough and never-monotonous percussion of Emeri Schweigert, this album is consistently rich in both music and lyrics.

I realize that Vacuity is a relatively unknown band, but I've become so attached to this album that I'm really hoping you'll give it a chance. Here are the steps:

1. Download Beckoning from the Vacuity website.
• This was the first song to catch me, and is the song that brought me back for more.
2. Download Tamer Than Anything from my website.
• Clocking in at over 7 minutes, this song takes over a minute just to get going, and builds to a huge finish for the final 2 minutes.
• Yes, it's an epic song and definitely more challenging, requiring more than one listen, but worth every second.
• This is one of my two favourites tracks from the CD. The other is The Worst Thing, but you'll have to buy the album to hear that one.
• Just a warning: The end of this song is the transition to the next song, The Raft, but without the next song, it sounds a little out of place.
3. Download The 5th Of November from the Vacuity website.
• One of the faster tracks from the CD.
4. If you made here, and like what you heard: Buy the album. There are 10 more excellent tracks waiting for you.

Comments (1)

PETE NEMA
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