Infinite Granite Limited Birthdays

Infinite Granite, your one stop shop for granite must be pissed at these guys Deafheaven, that is unless of course it is bringing in business. Secondly, an indie band called Emperor Of Ice Cream. Naming your band that immediately sets my sights and expectations very high. The reason being? It is ice cream after all, and if you preside over that.. well, anyway, it’s my birthday. Let’s get on with reviews.

Deafheaven – Infinite Granite – Sargent House Records

Okay so I don’t know this band’s stuff well at all. I went to see Destruction Unit play live years back and did catch them live they put on a good show. Photos of that here https://meatsheetfanzine.com/rare-deafheaven-destruction-unit-photos-pt-1/ Fast forward to now. It seems Deafheaven has really grown. One of their singles In Blur I would consider essential listening if you favor dream pop aka shoegaze. This track just blends perfectly together. When they wrote this they were not fuckin around. From the ghostly background vocals, the melodic lyrics, and precise drum rolls. This is a melodic swirl of a track, down to the blurry squawks hidden in the mix. Could be a guitar slide or heavily effected vocals, either way, it works.

Sounds that make you think that someone is calling your name when they’re really not.

I hear that people giving this album crap. Gladly I am divorced from hearsay of bands not being metal or shoegaze enough for their likes. These terms and preferences are irrelevant to the actual music. To clarify, Infinite Granite, if nothing else, is a superbly crafted album. You cannot just haphazardly wake up and write an album like this. If you can’t hear the work put in, well that is a pity. Does it resonate for you ? Cannot say. I will say shoegaze is an awful term, but I use it in order to give an idea of the gist of a band’s sound.

Great Mass of Color is almost as good as In Blur. Featuring a crescendo that would make most fans of heavy music combined with dreamy gaze sounds proud.

Neptune Raining Diamonds could easily be a commissioned work for film or commercial. It’s a lush ambient soundscape that reminds of a briefer version of Moby’s God Moving Over The Face Of The Waters sans all the dramatic orchestral ‘ hits ‘

Next, Villain is a mild mannered, mellow song save for the last 40 seconds or so. It hurls you into what could be minor chords and black metal vocals. I’m told Deafheaven utilize this more so on previous efforts. This is probably what may be getting underwear bunched up. They don’t really go metal til this track. Oh well, if it is not metal enough there are literally tons of metal bands that would love your attention.

After that we have The Gnashing is similar in the sense it starts out somewhat poppy. As the tension builds it goes more into gaseous dreamy art rock territory. The shrillness of the guitars squeal and the drum fills are skillfully accentuating the treble. It ends with a gentle shimmer. The rest of the record cohesively fits with these songs very seamlessly.

Finally the closer, Mombasa starts off with acoustic sounding soothingness. Bass lines that lull you into a cocoon of daydream like sensations. As a result Mombasa is a peaceful floaty journey until 5:22 ish it kicks into a fury of enraged intensity. Those who were hoping for a more metallic Deafheaven LP, this song is probably the best it gets for them. Great choice is choosing the final track. Also hats off to Deafheaven if this is the record they wanted to make. If someone is disappointed by this LP, it happens. For artists sometimes you make the record that divides the audience. Infinite Granite will go down as classic for me. The undeniably gorgeous layers of voices and instruments supersedes whether or not it’s not black metal enough, or too shoegaze.

Emperor of Ice Cream – Weather Vane – FIFA Records
Without going into minute details, fans of Ride , Teenage Fanclub, Matthew Sweet will revel in Emperor of Ice-Cream’s single Weather Vane . Weather Vane being like a distant cousin to Teenage Fanclub. High Rise Low Rise feels a little more like Ride. We’ll go a little farther. Also listen in right here https://emperoroficecream.bandcamp.com/album/weather-vane-single

High Rise Low Rise, unlike my jeans, gently drifts above the horizon with some lightly sugared guitar tones you may find in your favorite dream pop pioneers of the 90’s.

The guitars plink in unison and satisfying tonality. The beat is mesmerizing. It’s not quite slow as a slow dance but it’s not a upbeat. It’s a steady and drifting rhythm. A very strong single. Also fans that cab remember Velvet Crush’s In The Presence of Greatness, you’ll probably dig this.

Weather Vane has striking vocal harmonies that is very close to Teenage Fanclub and Big Star ( who I need to seriously do some homework on as they influenced TF) This track is soothing and yet the songwriting hits hard. It would be a winner even if it was acapella. However the band gives it the diligence and attention it needs to be an even more realized indie pop number. I would be very eager to hear what else Emperor Of Ice Cream may be serving up.

That is all for now, check in anytime. I love views, shares, and any support. For new material, September. I have to fantasize about frozen desserts that are no longer within my reach and celebrate my 28th (LOL) birthday.