PunBB

so, here in my hands i have a copy of the new tea party cd, well actually it's not in my hands, it's in my player :wink:, and so far so so so very good. when i heard that this album was being produced by Bob Rock i feared for the worst, but i should've known better than to doubt JM and the boys. the opener (and first single) Writings On The Wall is a a blast and a half, being one of the heavier songs the tea party have recorded throughout their career, but not only is it heavy, it has a really thick and snakey groove to it, it comes off as a cross between soundgarden and rush, and that is certainly not a bad thing, not at at all. Stargazer is a heavy-come-pretty number that's a likely candidate for next single, it drives and it pounds, but in a really melodic and ubeat kinda way, reminiscent of the smashing pumpkins, it's a very busy sounding song with so many different noises running through your ears, very interesting to listen to, but takes a few listens to really get into. One Step Closer Away builds it's way up from a deliberate and stubborn hard hitting groove to an almost hyper darker-than night-punk rock fury for the chorus, also has potential for radio/video play. next track sounds like it'd be right at home on Mantras, Oceans is a mellower affair, with Jeff romanticizing as only he can about promising his love an ocean in return for staying with him, it's a very well written power-ballad type of song similar to songs like heaven coming down and angels, but if you're not in the mood for it it can get on your nerves a bit (as can any song you're not in the mood for). the real bright spot of oceans is the guitar leads that poke through every once in a while, they accent the rest of the song perfectly, could make it as a single, but i hope they don't choose it because it's not a very accurate representation of the rest of this album. now, 5 tracks into the album comes the first real godsend for longtime TP fans, Luxuria. think The River, Fire In The Head, The Bazaar, and Temptation all rolled into one kick ass Tea Party deliverance and you've got your Luxuria, this one's sure to bring the house down when played live, i for one can't wait for a performance of this bad boy, possibly their best song since Edges Of Twilight... . the rockin doesn't stop there though, the following song is just as intense, actually no, it's much much more intense: Overload. couldn't be more appropriately named, because they're really givin'er on this one, gigantic riffs, hooks that would make a pirate fly into a jealous fit of rage and an infectious rythm that not only drills itself in one ear and then out the other but comes back to drop the bomb. of course after all that rockin you gotta slow it down a bit, just a wee bit, enough to say ya did right? :wink: ...peaks and valleys right? another oldschool sounding track does the trick: Coming Back Again. well it starts out sounding like something that would've been right at home on either of their first two albums but then it snaps out of it's hypnotizing lull into a shitstorm of heavy crunchy guitars and then swings back into a melodic beating, into a solo, and then of course back into the eye of the storm. heavier than yokozuna riding a panda bear through your stereo. so after tricking us into believing that they were slowin it down they actually do slow it down here with The Watcher, a sweet song that's very emotionally wrought and permiated by Martin's beautiful voice. incredibly it still finds it's way to a heaviness that doesn't take away from it's mood, this one's a masterpiece in itself and i garauntee you that you you'll be hearing it on the radio. next one stays in the same ballpark as Watcher, with curious references to David Bowie's "Major Tom" character, musically speaking Empty Glass is a very intruiging piece in that upon listening to it you'll probably think to yourself how can something sound so gorgeous yet be so heavy handed with its bold and distinct brand of loud and proud guitars worn on its sleeve? i dunno, we'll have to ask the band or mr. rock i guess :wink:. Wishing You Could Stay starts with an atmospheric elctronic pulsation before it kicks in with heavy guitars that only come out to play for a few short seconds before they disappear (dn't worry they'll come back ), giving way to the atmospheric and rythmic elements with an added flair of backing femal vocals, something that works quite well on this track i might add, especially along side Jeff's vox. it's not too far removed from the interzone material really, but it is a lot more refined and well crafted, something that can be said for all of the songs on this album. finally, the album's closer Seven Circles finds The Tea Party doing what they do best, rockin out...middle eastern style :mrgreen:! this one could be placed on any of their albums and still be a highlight, it's got that timeless quality to it that you just can't purposely attain while writing and that's something that money can't buy. it's genuine 100% tea party rock & roll at it's finest, winding and piercing guitar solos, haunting piano, the middle eastern flavour, the heavy mellow moodiness that's been the band's bread and butter for so long is put on display for a classic ending to what will hopefully prove to be in time a classic album. not only is this their best album since Transmission, it is the heaviest effort they've put forth to date.

Sorry to go off topic a bit, I'm sure it's a great cd, they've been busy, backing Scott Stapp's solo effort and all.

say what you will...but you haven't heard it yet and i have! nah nah nah nah nah nah !

so i accidentily put this in the wrong forum...can it be moved?

It can be moved, one of the moderators can do you, and probably will.

paragraphs are your friend.

Moved and getting the CD tonight, Can't wait

I... HATE... TEA PARTY :twisted:

Any song that I hear from them makes me consider slitting my throat!

Ditto. They are way too abstract for me, and all their stuff sounds exactly the same. Seriously, I have heard half their stuff from a friend of mine and NONE of it is easily identifiable as coming from a certain album. You can mix and match songs from their entire career and you couldn't tell the difference between which ones came from which album. Loud, repetitive garbage outdone only by the singer's complete inability to make two songs sound distinct.

Ah, vitriol...where would I be without it.

I don't like the Tea Party as much as The Hip or anything but to say that all the songs sound the same is an ignorant statement. Their earlier stuff had much more of an exotic eastern flavour to it while their newer stuff seems to be heavy rock.

Transmission is a very good cd, as is Edges of Twilight and Splender Solis. Triptych is good and Interzone Mantras is good with some great guitar. Psychopomp off of Transmission is one of my favourite songs.

Jeff Martin may be a little full of himself but the band is pretty creative in my mind. I don't know about the new cd yet but I like the cd's I already have of the band. Man, how can you not like "The River"? It's one of the best songs of the last fifteen years.

As far as "The Writing's on the Wall" goes, I don't care for it too much. Don't like the singing because it reminds me of Creed.

as if, you guys are missing out on the most talented bands in Canada since Rush first made their way onti the scene...lame.

Hey man, I said I liked them. I have waited for years to see the Tea Party live. I think that would be one kickass show!

I never really liked nor hated The Tea Party... I'll admit I've had one or two of their songs stuck in my head from time to time... "And it feels now, just like Heaven's comin down" I can do that deep voice perfect, too... but, uh, I got higher priorities when it comes to my money.... eh?... eh?... Sheesh!... I gotta stop doing that...

tigerthelion Wrote:Hey man, I said I liked them. I have waited for years to see the Tea Party live. I think that would be one kickass show!

oh it is, i've seen them 3 times now and i can't wait to see them again and hear some of this new material :mrgreen: especially: overload, luxuria, seven circles, one step closer away and writings on the wall...ROCK!

I don't mind The Tea Party. I have seen them live four times, they put on a decent performance. I prefer their older stuff to the more recent material. However, I haven't listened to their newest CD...