SARCAST WHILE

This album to me is where the group really hit their stride. For this release the band took both the angular and melodic aspects of their sound and created a true, and incredibly underrated, masterpiece of truly progressive rock. Time of Orchids can be likened to other American avant- garde rock bands like Cheer-Accident and Kayo Dot in the sense that their music is as strangely catchy as it is complex.

The only weaker parts of this album are the short interlude tracks, every actual song on the disc is immaculately composed, filled with amazing drum/bass interaction and lush vocal harmonies. The songwriting and musicianship of all members make this a genuine 5-star album for me.

From the frantic 'Ours, Engendered' with it's manic screams and crazy fuzzed-out bass to the very pop/funk-influenced ending to penultimate track 'All We Ever Wish', the album takes a multitude of sudden time changes and dynamic shifts making it perhaps a difficult or confusing listen for most people used to more 'traditional' prog. There are plenty of moments of controlled chaos, 'Earned Over' being a good example, but the majority of Sarcast While is quite melodic, albeit it in an unconventional way.

Most of the tracks could probably be described as math-rock meets the more 'pop', easily- listenable end of RIO. Despite the obtuse nature of the music the album still feels emotionally resonant with me. It's quite hard to do this band justice in words, but to me Sarcast While is a classic in it's own right, and I couldn't recommend it highly enough to anyone looking for a new musical adventure filled with peaks and troughs, beauty and disorder.