Category:
Rock

Try if you like:
Captain Beefheart, Circa Survive, Depeche Mode, Godspeed You Black Emperor, Hellogoodbye, Mars Volta, Rx Bandits

I haven't been overly taken with The Sound Of Animals Fighting thus far but I think that is only because I haven't given them the attention that they deserve. With The Ocean and the Sun, the collective's third full-length effort, they have officially taken me. It was the third track, "I, The Swan" that captured my attention. It's got a nifty angular approach to a traditional song structure. Some weird time signature at play I'm sure.

The concept of The Ocean and the Sun takes on the subject of the raw vastness of nature, the sun, the ocean, and how we fail to recognize its power and mystery. At first it seems strange when they throw a curve ball like "Chinese New Year" but it actually fits into their hodgepodge style. Some of the added bits seem unnecessary like the opening intro in Spanish? I think. Then the title track starts out with a typewriter sound effect. Most people wouldn't even recognize the sound this day and age. But really, that's all I would remove from this impressive set.

Take "Another Leather Lung". It's a beautiful song in itself. It kind of meanders like a flooding river trying to find a path among the lowest ground, not too fast but still powerful in itself. "Lude" must be short for interlude, because that's what this two minute experiment without vocals seems like: time for you to soak up what you've already heard. "Cellophane" is another understated song of the album. 

Remember, the Sound Of Animals Fighting is not something you can soak up in one listen. You need to dive headlong into the landscapes that they are creating. There aren't many young musicians creating music this experimental who are getting as much exposure as this collective. Find out why.