|
Clearlake is an English band (led by Jason Pegg) that offers lyrical but
not particularly original melodic orchestral rock.
Lido (Domino, 2001) delivered a confused and over-produced batch of
folk-inspired Verve-ish ballads, in particular
Don't Let The Cold In and Winterlight (their first single).
Cedars (Domino, 2003) is less obsessed with pop: Pegg sounds more
interested in expressing his tortured soul than in crafting baroque
architectures. This leads to atmospheres that border the
claustrophobic (Come into the Darkness) and the
painful (It's All Too Much), to an
almost expressionistic tension in Treat Yourself with Kindness
and to the devilish orchestral waltz of The Mind is Evil.
At the same time, Clearlake is still in command of its melodic talent
(the lively and catchy Almost the Same, the stately Wonder If the Snow Will Settle, the almost religious ending of Trees in the City).
The fusion of these two elements could provide an alternative to
pop muzak, but the band stops short of entering the unknown.
Amber (2005) moves towards hard-rock
(Neon, Good Clean Fun) to the point of being positively noisy
and jarring (Here to Learn), but perhaps the best moment is the most
peaceful, It's Getting Light Outside.
|
(Translation by/ Tradotto da Stefano Lucarelli)
I Clearlake sono un gruppo inglese (capitanato da Jason Pegg)
che propone un rock melodico orchestrale con una certa vena poetica
ma non particolarmente originale.
Lido (Domino, 2001) raccoglie una manciata confusa e over-prodotta
di ballate di ispirazione folk in stile Verve, in particolare Don't
Let The Cold In e Winterlight (il loro primo singolo).
Cedars (Domino, 2003) è meno ossessionato dal pop:
Pegg appare più interessato a esprimere la sua anima tormentata
che a confezionare architetture barocche. Si hanno così atmosfere
che sfiorano la claustrofobia (Come into the Darkness) e
il dolore (It's All Too Much) fino a una tensione quasi espressionista
in Treat Yourself with Kindness e al diabolico valzer orchestrale
di The Mind is Evil. Allo stesso tempo, i Clearlake sono ancora
padroni del proprio talento melodico (la vitale e orecchiabile Almost
the Same, l'imponente Wonder If the Snow Will Settle,
il finale quasi religioso di Trees in the City). La fusione
di questi due elementi potrebbe rappresentare un'alternativa alla
pop muzak, ma il gruppo smette subito di esplorare l'ignoto.
|
