Etheriel
April 29th, 2007, 11:33
Note: Although not an expert on music of any kind, I am qualified to write this review as a long-time fan and listener of Joy Electric. ^_^
Released March 20th, 2007, The Otherly Opus is the latest album released by Ronnie Martin, better known as Joy Electric, of the Electric Joy Toy Company Electronic Music Workshop and Tooth and Nail Records. In this album, Martin seems to bring together all that he's learned doing the Legacy Series, which began with the White Songbook back in 2001.
Opus stays true to the style of other Legacy releases from Joy Electric, combining a beautiful synthesized sound palette with cryptic, philosophical lyrics.
The Otherly Opus. The album opens with its title track. The tune is haunting, and the vocals, a highlight of the album, shine immediately. The lyrics here are fantastic, and very reminiscient of Hello, Mannequin. Imagery abounds. The only drawback, in my opinion, is the repetition of the chorus. Although not entirely detracting, it could be lessened. Note that the last forty seconds of this track is actually a sort of "postsong" with no lyrics. 5/5
Frivolity And It's Necessities. This track definitely sounds like Joy Electric's earlier work, but with the addition of a more noticeable beat. Not the most memorable track on the disc, but the lyrics are well written and successfully complimented by the synth. 3/5
Colours In Dutch. A shorter track, Colours In Dutch has a darker sound than the two preceding tracks. Like Frivolity, it also has a more dominant beat than most Joy Electric songs. The vocals here are straight out of Ministry of Archers, but with more instances of Martin singing with himself, a very cool facet of this album as a whole. The conclusion of the track seems a bit forced, but is much better than a simple fade-out. 4/5
The Ushering In Of The Magical Era. Remember when I commented on repetition earlier? As a warning, the last two minutes of this five-minute track include no lyrics aside from the word "magical" again and again. Regardless, I love every moment of this track which doesn't seem to drag on in the least. From the opening to the closing, The Ushering just works. It has that unexplainable presence of gothic importance present in many of Joy's better works, and, again, we see very Hello, Mannequin-esque lyrics, which are always welcome on my side. Magical, magical, oh magical. 5/5
Write Your Last Paragraph. This track marks the end of the first half of the album, and concludes a complete rise and fall. Indeed, Last Paragraph sounds remarkably like the sort of track Martin would end an album on, right down to the solemn sounds and reflective lyrics. Extremely reminiscient of an earlier Joy Electric song, A Page of Life. The chorus is brilliantly sung, but, otherwise, there isn't much to make this one memorable. 3/5
The Memory of Alpha. Part two starts off very strong. The transition from Last Paragraph to the opening of Memory of Alpha certainly leaves an impression. This track, like much of the second half, focuses even more heavily on vocals. From this point forward, the synth takes a back seat to Martin's voice, which has very rarely been the case in earlier Joy Electric albums. The shift is welcome, and it works. Unfortunately, we are again treated to a repetitious chorus, which does detract somewhat from the track as a whole. 4/5
Red Will Dye These Snows of Silver. If I did not know better, I would say that there were at least three, probably four, vocalists in this track. No, it is only Ronnie Martin singing, again, with himself and, occassionally, also with himself. Snows of Silver is my favorite track on the album. Like Disloyalist Party before it, it manages to stand out from the rest by being louder and more energetic. Also, the abundant use of imagery (in the form of colors) is very cool. Prepare to be impressed. 5/5
(The Timbre of) The Timber Colony. The synth-heavy opening of the track is a beautiful thing. Unfortunately, the vocal techniques seen in the last two tracks are beginning to get old by this point, and, largely for that reason, Timber Colony suffers. This is the only point on this album where I would fault Martin for placing too much emphasis on the vocals, because the synth in this track really is magnificent. The segment around the two-minute mark with no vocals is the highlight of the track for me. 3/5
Ponderance Need Not Know. Ponderance is an easy track to overlook. Like Frivolity, it struggles to be memorable. Slower and quieter than the tracks preceding it, Ponderance certainly carries with it a different mood, but it does a good job of bringing the tone downward toward the album's conclusion in the next track. Aside from being generally unexciting, I cannot fault this song with anything at all. 4/5
A Glass To Count All The Hours. And, thus, we come upon the album's end, which, like many similar Joy Electric songs, is very reflective, both upon the album and on the listener's emotions. Unlike Last Paragraph, however, this track actually fills the listener with a sense of hope, even if the lyrics alone would seem to contradict such a feeling. Although I really do enjoy listening to this one, I rate it low simply because, like a true concluding track, it does not withstand when heard independently. 3/5
Although it draws inspiration from earlier Legacy Series albums, listening to The Otherly Opus is a unique experience. This album is must-own for any listener of electronic music. It almost goes without saying that if you like any of Joy Electric's earlier work, you will love Opus. Overall: 9/10
Released March 20th, 2007, The Otherly Opus is the latest album released by Ronnie Martin, better known as Joy Electric, of the Electric Joy Toy Company Electronic Music Workshop and Tooth and Nail Records. In this album, Martin seems to bring together all that he's learned doing the Legacy Series, which began with the White Songbook back in 2001.
Opus stays true to the style of other Legacy releases from Joy Electric, combining a beautiful synthesized sound palette with cryptic, philosophical lyrics.
The Otherly Opus. The album opens with its title track. The tune is haunting, and the vocals, a highlight of the album, shine immediately. The lyrics here are fantastic, and very reminiscient of Hello, Mannequin. Imagery abounds. The only drawback, in my opinion, is the repetition of the chorus. Although not entirely detracting, it could be lessened. Note that the last forty seconds of this track is actually a sort of "postsong" with no lyrics. 5/5
Frivolity And It's Necessities. This track definitely sounds like Joy Electric's earlier work, but with the addition of a more noticeable beat. Not the most memorable track on the disc, but the lyrics are well written and successfully complimented by the synth. 3/5
Colours In Dutch. A shorter track, Colours In Dutch has a darker sound than the two preceding tracks. Like Frivolity, it also has a more dominant beat than most Joy Electric songs. The vocals here are straight out of Ministry of Archers, but with more instances of Martin singing with himself, a very cool facet of this album as a whole. The conclusion of the track seems a bit forced, but is much better than a simple fade-out. 4/5
The Ushering In Of The Magical Era. Remember when I commented on repetition earlier? As a warning, the last two minutes of this five-minute track include no lyrics aside from the word "magical" again and again. Regardless, I love every moment of this track which doesn't seem to drag on in the least. From the opening to the closing, The Ushering just works. It has that unexplainable presence of gothic importance present in many of Joy's better works, and, again, we see very Hello, Mannequin-esque lyrics, which are always welcome on my side. Magical, magical, oh magical. 5/5
Write Your Last Paragraph. This track marks the end of the first half of the album, and concludes a complete rise and fall. Indeed, Last Paragraph sounds remarkably like the sort of track Martin would end an album on, right down to the solemn sounds and reflective lyrics. Extremely reminiscient of an earlier Joy Electric song, A Page of Life. The chorus is brilliantly sung, but, otherwise, there isn't much to make this one memorable. 3/5
The Memory of Alpha. Part two starts off very strong. The transition from Last Paragraph to the opening of Memory of Alpha certainly leaves an impression. This track, like much of the second half, focuses even more heavily on vocals. From this point forward, the synth takes a back seat to Martin's voice, which has very rarely been the case in earlier Joy Electric albums. The shift is welcome, and it works. Unfortunately, we are again treated to a repetitious chorus, which does detract somewhat from the track as a whole. 4/5
Red Will Dye These Snows of Silver. If I did not know better, I would say that there were at least three, probably four, vocalists in this track. No, it is only Ronnie Martin singing, again, with himself and, occassionally, also with himself. Snows of Silver is my favorite track on the album. Like Disloyalist Party before it, it manages to stand out from the rest by being louder and more energetic. Also, the abundant use of imagery (in the form of colors) is very cool. Prepare to be impressed. 5/5
(The Timbre of) The Timber Colony. The synth-heavy opening of the track is a beautiful thing. Unfortunately, the vocal techniques seen in the last two tracks are beginning to get old by this point, and, largely for that reason, Timber Colony suffers. This is the only point on this album where I would fault Martin for placing too much emphasis on the vocals, because the synth in this track really is magnificent. The segment around the two-minute mark with no vocals is the highlight of the track for me. 3/5
Ponderance Need Not Know. Ponderance is an easy track to overlook. Like Frivolity, it struggles to be memorable. Slower and quieter than the tracks preceding it, Ponderance certainly carries with it a different mood, but it does a good job of bringing the tone downward toward the album's conclusion in the next track. Aside from being generally unexciting, I cannot fault this song with anything at all. 4/5
A Glass To Count All The Hours. And, thus, we come upon the album's end, which, like many similar Joy Electric songs, is very reflective, both upon the album and on the listener's emotions. Unlike Last Paragraph, however, this track actually fills the listener with a sense of hope, even if the lyrics alone would seem to contradict such a feeling. Although I really do enjoy listening to this one, I rate it low simply because, like a true concluding track, it does not withstand when heard independently. 3/5
Although it draws inspiration from earlier Legacy Series albums, listening to The Otherly Opus is a unique experience. This album is must-own for any listener of electronic music. It almost goes without saying that if you like any of Joy Electric's earlier work, you will love Opus. Overall: 9/10