Band: Clock Opera
Release: Ways To Forget (Debut Album)
Release Date: 9/04/12
” ‘Ways To Forget’ is the sound of human emotion in an age of machines.”
What can only be described as one of the most experimental bands on this planet! Clock Opera are only willing to excite us in building beautiful anticipation to their new album to hit us this April 9th, ‘Ways To Forget’.
Tin Cans, hand fans, pots and pans, old springs, lighters, guitars, trains that pass, cocktails flasks, guitars from skips, harps in bits. Woodwind, brass! All made in fast tempo, down to slow.
Shoes squeak on a squash court, a basketball bounce’s and thuds loudly in a school hall, a world war 2 ammunition case slams on a car park floor.
Guy Connelly, producer, remixer and genius behind Clock Opera seeks out the most random building materials in which to record such romantic music to the ears.
Words take a similar process from Guy. Both these techniques have taken to acclaimed remixes for the likes of Metronomy, Everything Everything, Feet, and The Drums.
With a few releases from his personal project, ‘Ways To Forget’ is just the beginning and what we’ve all been waiting for.
Tracklist:
1. Once And For All
2. Lesson No.7
3. 11th Hour
4. Man Made
5. Belongings
6. White Noise
7. A Piece
8. The Lost Buoys
9. Move To The Mountains
10. Fail Better
HTF personal favourites; ‘Belongings’, beautiful keys and sweet lyrics lead to a sad or experienced daydream. Possibly for hope and dependance on a passed love, or a present love, making for mixed emotion and even shielding of a broken heart.
This track builds through self telling lyrics with pretty keys to beautiful samples with vocal, keys, and then drums with a delicate explosion in guitar, all still remaining in a simple statement and an echoing repeat.
‘White Noise’, you can feel the human machinery in this. Experimental, heartfelt strong vocals and intensity in a present decision. “Forgive me for what I will not do, because I’m waiting for you”.
‘A Piece Of String’, has great instrumental to it. The keys are amazing in this track and you can really feel the electronic sound. Dependent human related lyrics to yet a less depressive music production.
‘Move To The Mountains’, a real sweetheart song, with outstanding piano, strong precise drums and bass, and delicate electrified guitar. A feeling along with lyrics of a positive outlook towards the future. Moving forward in life maybe with a new love ready to make a life together and see the world!
‘Fail Better’. A mix of all? “Darling Just You Wait” a sampling, experimental explosive end.
Each track to this album has a different sound and life importance meaning. The industrial elements from Guy Connelly, Che Albrighton (drums/ samples), Dan Armstrong (keys/ vocals/ samples) and Andy West (guitar/bass) transform into songs filled with urgency and euphoria resulting in sheer warmth and humanity.
The all round open emotion and inspiration comes from faded memories and the inability to change. Tracks in the album that follow this emotion are ‘Once And For All’ and ‘11th Hour’. Our future selves and and periods of transition – ‘Move To The Mountains, Fail Better’. ‘White Noise’ impacts the intensity of the present moment. ‘Belongings’ exploits the feeling of emotional baggage. ‘A Piece Of String’ has dependence, and perception comes from ‘Lesson No.7’.
Clock Opera’s debut album is full of romance, recollections, speculations, memory and mystery, which in one way or another, we can all relate or even inspire to. The more you listen to this album, the more incredible it becomes, the more you find yourself not repeating one track, but the whole album. Each entitled track has a sound and empathy of its own. A lot of thought, creativity instrumentally, and feeling has gone into this. Prepare to be blown away!
Watch official video of new release to come from Clock Opera’s debut album ‘Ways To Forget’ here with HTF. We give you ‘Man Made’.
http://clockopera.com/
Reviewer: Sacha Moore
