The Extraordinaires... If i were to use one word to capture them, I’d say extraordinary. Jay Purdy, lead singer and guitarist, makes one think of Freddy Mercury and that guy from Andrew Jackson Jihad. Today, I will be reviewing one of the best damn albums I’ve heard in a long time called: Electric and Benevolent.
Opening with horns and flute flowing into a crunchy melodic chord progression, the first thing i thought was “Am I listening to of Montreal?” Of course, if I had been, I would not have complained at all, since of Montreal is easily the best band of the past 20 years. But I digress, this is a review about The Extraordinaires, not of Montreal.
The album makes so many thematic changes, its extremely hard to categorize it as PURELY independent music. I’d have to argue that it is very progressive (YEAH YEAH I KNOW, PROG ONLY USES DIMINISHED CHORDS AND STUFF, WELL DEAL WITH IT, THIS IS REAL PROG).
Songs that standout on this album:
The Man in the Suit - BEAUTIFUL from opening horns to closing epic harmonizing
Terzetto - Almost gypsy in sound, its one of the most interesting songs on the whole album. The change-up halfway through makes the whole song even more spectacular (that solo).
Colorado Springs - Maxing out at 9:28, this is the longest song on the album, which doesn’t help make it good or bad... but anyway, I don’t know how to describe it other than saying its ethereal. It soothes the soul.
OVER ALL, I RATE ‘ELECTRIC AND BENEVOLENT’ A 10/10 FOR ORIGINALITY, CREATIVITY, AMAZING MELODIES, GREAT MUSICIANSHIP, VERY INTERESTING SUBJECT MATTER, AND FOR REMINDING ME OF OF MONTREAL.
