Posted on: June 5, 2009 Posted by: anfnewsacct Comments: 0

The opening, self-titled track of The Capitol Years is very airy and wispy. The opening is not very substantive; when the band finally kicks into “Revolutions”, individuals can feel as if they are getting something from the band. The mixture of styles in this track (the electronic sound of The Who and The Beatles) sounds odd at the beginning, but The Capitol Years smartly blend together the different styles without much in the way of fallout. The sixties and early seventies influence of The Capitol Years is shown in all of its glory for The Capitol Years, however; the band may be recording and playing music in 2006, but their hearts are at least thirty years in the past.

While the vocal style to “Long Time” is still working in the past, the overall instrumentation of The Capitol Years in this track should remind listeners of acts off of Deep Elm circa 2001. The band does make attempts to reach current listeners as well as fans of the past; what results on “Dance Away The Terror” is something that is diverse in the styles and approaches that it takes. The band firmly re-entrenches themselves in earlier musical styles with “Mirage People”; the most interesting thing in this track has to be the gradual build-up of tension done by The Capitol Years in order to titillate their listeners. At all points on “Dance Away The Terror”, The Capitol Years are able to craft their music in the most open and supportive production heard outside of major labels.

The spaces given the band are open, not clipping any of their soaring compositions but are not open enough to allow for needless echoing. The only problem that I have with “Dance Away The Terror” is the track “Chandelier”. In this track, the band does some of the most strung out “rock” since Brian Wilson’s “SMiLE” (and no, I’m not meaning that as a compliment). Out of a disc that has hit after hit, with tracks that continually fuel the band and listeners onward and upward, this is a major roadblock for the band. Luckily enough for both groups, “You Can Stay There” is just a few minutes later, and brings most people back on the bandwagon. The band plays a style of rock that has not been heard on current rock stations for a long time; given the right push, there is reason to believe that this style may return in the form of The Capitol Years.

Top Tracks: You Can Stay There, Revolutions

Rating: 6.1/10

The Capitol Years – Dance Away The Terror / 2006 Park The Van / 11 Tracks / http://www.capitolyears.com / http://www.parkthevan.com / Reviewed 11 August 2006

[JMcQ]

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