Showing posts with label *La Dispute. Show all posts
Showing posts with label *La Dispute. Show all posts

Saturday, October 1, 2011

La Dispute - 2011 Wildlife


Band : La Dispute
Album : Wildlife
Release Year : 2011
Genre : Experimental | Post-Hardcore | Screamo

Tracklist : 
1. A Departure
2. Harder Harmonies
3. St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church Blues
4. Edit Your Hometown
5. A Letter
6. Safer in the Forest/Love Song for Poor Michigan
7. The Most Beautiful Bitter Fruit
8. A Poem
9. King Park
10. Edward Benz, 27 Times
11. I See Everything
12. A Broken Jar
13. All Our Bruised Bodies and the Whole Heart Shrinks
14. You and I in Unison

La Dispute's "Wildlife," the follow-up to their 2008 LP "Somewhere at the Bottom of the River Between Vega and Altair," is a nearly 60-minute musical examination of the twentysomething search for purpose; an exploration of the struggles that confront, damage, and redefine us inevitably in life through 14 tracks of new material. Set up as a collection of unpublished "short stories" complete with the author's notes and sectioned thematically by four monologues, "Wildlife" discusses the difficulties inherent in growing up by interweaving the author's own ambiguous loss and struggle for meaning alongside the stories it compelled him to document.

Accordingly, each song musically captures both the moods and tones of those stories as well as the more subtle personal narrative throughout the entire record through a heavy reliance on dynamics and alternative instrumentation allowing for a diversity that shows nearly every spot on the spectrum while never sounding out of place, forced, or unfamiliar. Recorded at both Drasik Studios in Chicago and StadiumRed in New York with Andrew Everding and Joe Pedulla using no artificial reverb, La Dispute's sophomore full length organically captures the sound of five friends committed to pushing their own creative boundaries while still retaining a desire to create honest and emotional music. "Wildlife" arrives October 4 via No Sleep Records. -nsr






Thursday, April 28, 2011

La Dispute and KOJI - 2011 Never Come Undone (Split)


Band : La Dispute and KOJI
Album : Never Come Undone (Split)
Release Year : 2011
Genre : Screamo | Indie | Acoustic

Tracklist : 
La Dispute :
1. Sunday Morning, At a Funeral
2. Last Blues

KOJI :
1. Peacemaker
2. Biomusicology

“Never Come Undone,” the forthcoming split 12” release from Harrisburg, PA singer-songwriter Andew Koji Shiraki and Grand Rapids, MI outfit La Dispute is, above all things, an attempt to transcend musical differences; to show that, where a middle ground exists ethically and emotionally, differences in genre and style are rendered irrelevant, and the greater truth is made apparent. Birthed from a friendship grounded more in similarities in intention and approach than in musical commonality, “Never Come Undone” seeks to highlight those important similarities by exploring a new congruence musically while discussing separately the same topic. Featuring two songs from Koji (one original and one cover) and two songs from La Dispute (one original and one re-imagining of a track from 2008‘s Somewhere…), the record reflects heavily on the two artists’ individual experiences with loss and their reaction to it. Through that, the aforementioned emotional and personal similarities shine through, showing that while contrasts may exist between people on the surface, a common thread binds them. At the same time, and perhaps most poignantly, some differences still exist (and differences always will) but neither the record, nor the friendship that inspired it, suffers. Recorded separately at Drasik Studios in Chicago, IL (Koji) and at StadiumRed in Harlem, NY (La Dispute) “Never Come Undone” shows Koji and La Dispute at the peak of their friendship exploring new personal ground both musically and lyrically.





Wednesday, December 8, 2010

La Dispute and Touché Amoré Split - 2010 Searching For A Pulse / The Worth Of The World


Band : La Dispute and Touché Amoré
Album : Searching For A Pulse  / The Worth Of The World
Release Year : 2010
Genre : Experimental / Post-Hardcore / Screamo

Tracklist : 
Touché Amoré
1. I'll Get My Just Deserve
2. I'll Deserve Just That

La Dispute
3. How I Feel
4. Why It Scares Me

Two hardcore giants come together melding a fantastic EP that will appeal to several fans of the sub divisions within the growing genre. The split is a marvelous mix of post hardcore kindled with furious passion and ominous expressions that gratify all aspects of both bands. While Touche Amore loves dabbling with the more straight up style of hardcore the accompanying aesthetics of La Dispute are able to diversify their sound to a profound elegance often missing from …To the Beat of A Dead Horse. Likewise Touche Amore provide a rugged twist to the dismal bounce La Dispute find themselves carving their niche in from time to time. As soon as the compilation kicks off with “I’ll Get My Just Deserve” the justified balance between the two bands is met with melodic riffs soaring over the two leading vocalists trading off. This is a relative aspect to the split being its strongest trait - that is the dy-na-MIGHT interplay between Jeremy and Jordan.


 

La Dispute - 2009 Here- Hear. III


Band : La Dispute
Album : Here- Hear. III
Release Year : 2009
Genre : Experimental / Post-Hardcore / Screamo

Tracklist :
1. Nine
2. Ten
3. Eleven
4. Twelve

Unlike their aggressive full-length album, Here, Hear III is much more subdued, focusing more on Jordan Dreyer's words than the music. Interestingly, when the music serves only to complement his lyrics, the musicians truly shine. On Somewhere... it seemed like Dreyer and the band were constantly battling to gain control of the album, and while the musicians arguably should have won, Dreyer came out on top simply by being more ridiculous. Here, Hear III is a much better representation of what La Dispute are capable of doing, and if their next record mixes the aggression of their first album with this EP's soft-spoken style, La Dispute will be a force to be reckoned with. For now, listen to the church-like keyboard of "nine" as it mixes with the sound of the wind blowing, creating perhaps the best backdrop for a lyricist like Dreyer in a long time. Anyone can clash music and voice like La Dispute did on Somewhere..., but it takes true skill to create a piece of music that unites every single component in perfect harmony.



La Dispute - 2008 Winter Tour Holiday CD-R


Band : La Dispute
Album : Winter Tour Holiday CD-R
Release Year : 2008
Genre : Experimental / Post-Hardcore / Screamo

Tracklist :
01 Twas the Night Before Christmas
02 First Snow in Silent Grand Rapids




La Dispute - 2008 Somewhere At The Bottom Of The River Between Vega And Altair


Band : La Dispute
Album : Somewhere At The Bottom Of The River Between Vega And Altair
Release Year : 2008
Genre : Experimental / Post-Hardcore / Screamo

Tracklist : 
1. Such Small Hands
2. Said the King to the River
3. New Storms for Older Lovers
4. Damaged Goods
5. Fall Down, Never Get Back Up Again
6. Bury Your Flame
7. Last Blues for Bloody Knuckles
8. The Castle Builders
9. Andria
10. Then Again, Maybe You Were Right
11. Sad Prayers for Guilty Bodies
12. The Last Lost Continent
13. Nobody, Not Even the Rain

La Dispute definitely fills the gap for those who are looking for some post-hardcore. Not only does it fill that gap, it keeps that gap full for a while. Not only do they have some interesting (and sometimes original) experimentation on this side of post-hardcore, but they play the genre at top of its game; and topping almost any other band around today playing in this genre. Beyond all the mediocrity and signing of acts that don’t deserve it, I just a hope a band like La Dispute will pick up steam at least in the underground community and people will realize that this band is meant for much bigger, better things.

La Dispute - 2008 Untitled 7''


Band : La Dispute
Album : Untitled 7''
Release Year : 2008
Genre : Experimental / Post-Hardcore / Screamo

Tracklist :
1. Only Everything Below
2. Shall Never Lose Its Power



La Dispute - 2008 Here Hear II (EP)


Band : La Dispute
Album : Here Hear II (EP)
Release Year : 2008
Genre : Experimental / Post-Hardcore / Screamo

Tracklist : 
 1. five
2. six
3. seven
4. eight

Clever and considerate, La Dispute once again prove that they can consistently produce intelligent and certainly inspired music. Though subdued, Here, Hear. II pays homage to some of their influences which makes for a lovely insight into what makes the group tick. The backing instrumentation is almost musically witty in its interesting surrounding. It's almost if the band were writing whatever they felt the moment they heard the lyrics – all elements glue together so well. It doesn't matter that the words aren't Dreyer's own, it's his delivery of them that's the attraction. He is able to leave a smile where a smile should be beamed, and a thought when a thought should be provoked.


La Dispute - 2008 Here Hear (EP)


Band : La Dispute
Album : Here Hear (EP)
Release Year : 2008
Genre : Experimental / Post-Hardcore / Screamo

Tracklist :
1. One
2. Two
3. Three
4. Four

With the superb storytelling on "Four", you can get a basic idea of what the entirety of this EP will be. Dreyer says everything with a confident tinge and it really adds to the way the poetry is presented. However strange it may be for a group most known for their harsh shouts of "Tonight we ride!!!" to release an EP of spoken word poetry readings, it doesn't tarnish the quality that they remain consistent with. It's a clean, simple, and enjoyable release that can be enjoyed by many. With each interesting little noise and sporadic instrument addition throughout, "Hear, Here." presents itself as La Dispute's refusal to become stagnant. It's a breath of fresh air for anyone who might think this group has only one strongpoint, and it will show any naysayers that La Dispute are a force to be reckoned with.

La Dispute - 2006 Vancouver


Band : La Dispute
Album : Vancouver
Release Year : 2006
Genre : Experimental / Post-Hardcore / Screamo

Tracklist : 
1. Future Wars
2. A Word of Welcome and Warning
3. See You in Vancouver
4. To Withstand The Force of Storms
5. He is Here, He Is Not Afraid
6. The Surgeon and The Scientist
7. Fairmount
8. Untitled

La Dispute are more than a band; they're veritable artists, concentrating deeply on every aspect of their songs. Musically, their fully developed, experimental melodic-hardcore compositions paint passionately lush soundscapes.

Vancouver is an excellent debut from a band that has incredible potential. While their following album is better, Vancouver is worth listening to if you enjoy “Somewhere at the Bottom of the River…” or any solid post-hardcore.