THE END IS BEAUTIFUL

After the band released 'Mei,' their most ambitious album, Echolyn decided to return to a familiar, more traditional sound on their 2005 release, 'The End Is Beautiful.' Tom Hyatt is back in the band on this record, and his bass playing was sorely missed. The previous two albums were conceptual in one way or another. 'The End is Beautiful' is a collection of songs that aren't related to each other. The format of this album is similar to the first three Echolyn albums. On 'Mei,' Echolyn incorporated an orchestra with their sound. On 'The End Is Beautiful,' the band used concert band instruments such as saxophones, trombones, and trumpets to add a brassy quality to the music. This might be the most musically diverse Echolyn album, as the band borrow from many different influences.

The album opener, "Georgia Pine," may be the most kick-ass Echolyn opener. The lyrics are based around the phrase "higher than a Georgia pine," meaning very much under the influence of drugs; extremely high. The contrapuntal keyboard and guitar interplay reminds me of Gentle Giant, but it's still distinctly Echolyn. The chorus of "Georgia Pine" contains handclaps and singalong vocal melodies. The atmospheric bridge contains Ray Weston's delicate falsetto vocals, adding a hint of melancholy to the song. In essence, "Georgia Pine" is a catchy rock song with grunge elements in the vein of Alice in Chains. The following track, "Heavy Blue Miles," is another catchy rock song. The lyric, "It's OK, it's OK; I'm not OK, I'm not OK" is brilliant. This song, similar to "Georgia Pine," also contains interesting counterpoint, which I have an affinity for in music.

The 10-minute ballad "Lovesick Morning" is one of the many highlights on 'The End is Beautiful.' Dynamically, the song starts piano and slowly builds to forte by the end, resulting in a heartbreaking climax. Ear candy is interspersed throughout "Lovesick Morning," as there are audio excerpts of a woman talking about weird sex on a radio broadcast. The chorus is theatrical and melodramatic.

When I said early that "Georgia Pine" may be the most kick-ass Echolyn opener, noticed how I used the word "opener" and not "song." Because there is a song on the same album entitled "Make Me Sway," which is probably Echolyn's heaviest song, and my god does this song rock. Ray Weston really wears his black metal influences on his sleeve with his vocal style on "Make Me Sway." Brett Kull's guitar riffing (which sounds like it's in drop D) would give Tony Iommi a run for his money.

My favorite song on 'The End Is Beautiful,' and one of my favorite Echolyn songs of all time, is the title track. There is something so haunting about the chorus of "The End Is Beautiful." I like how the band tease you with the chorus during the midpoint, but it's even more awesome at the end. The chorus never fails to leave me in complete and utter awe. Ray Weston's vocals are exquisite. I heard a reviewer describe him as "a ballsier Steve Hogarth," and I kind of agree. Mind you, Steve Hogarth is my favorite singer of all time. I believe Ray Weston wrote the lyrics to "The End Is Beautiful" after a messy breakup. The emotion he conveys is palpable.

Echolyn go funk on "So Ready." Chris Buzby's Clavinet and Paul Ramsey's drumbeat captures that style perfectly. The chorus is unbelievably catchy and melodic. Anyone, whether you like prog or not, can groove to "So Ready." "Arc of Descent" is another catchy rock song, though I do think it's a bit forgettable. The final track, "Misery, Not Memory" is a great closer. This song is structurally similar to the opening track, "Georgia Pine," except that it's longer. The lyrics were written by Ray Weston, and it's about numerous one-offs he experienced that he's lucky to have survived from. The lyrics, particularly during the bridge, are harrowing. "Misery, Not Memory" is very schizophrenic and conveys a sense of urgency through its musical complexity. I love the crunchiness of Chris Buzby's hammond organ that opens the song. I also like the intricately arranged 7/8 Latin-influenced section and the double-time coda. The last couple seconds of "Misery, Not Memory" contains a poorly recorded audio excerpt of (who I presume is) Brett Kull strumming an acoustic guitar, accompanying Ray Weston singing the bridge of "Heavy Blue Miles."

In conclusion, 'The End Is Beautiful' sees Echolyn doing what Echolyn do best. As someone who isn't a big fan of "Mei," I was very pleased to hear the direction Echolyn went in post-Mei. Since then, Echolyn have been putting out masterpiece after masterpiece and have yet to release a less than great album. I hope their new album (which will be released this year) continues that trend.