The style of music that The Myriad plays is an ultimately polished and proper type of emo-meets-rock that has every member of the band join in in a very democratic way. The mastering on this disc is probably the best purveyor of this “everyone gets a shot” attitude; bass lines crust and swell at those moments where the supersonic vocals of Jeremy resound through the track. In fact, tracks like “Tethered” use the angular rock of bands like Franz Ferdinand coupled with vocals reminiscent of Alkaline Trio to make an emotive but dance-filled tracks. The very dreamy and deliberate tempo of “A New Language” really takes The Myriad in a direction that is different than any of the previous track son “You Can’t Trust A Ladder” would indicate.
Perhaps most interesting on the track is the use of multiple (dissonant) harmonies to make an emotionally involved sound for the track that will stick around for long after the disc has finished. Similarly, the experimentative electronic opening to “Nothing Is Safe” really looks back to Josh Wink and Bjork’s own experiments in the electronic realm. “Nothing Is Safe” also looks to some other current styles of music – specifically Radiohead’s opus OK Computer and (in a much more contemporaneous vein) The Mars Volta’s Frances The Mute. The sequenced blip-like nature of the drums during the track also gives a slight nod to The Postal Service, but influences aside what The Myriad lays down on this track is unquestionably their own. The off-kilter guitar solo that resides near the end of the track is almost Zappa-like in its chaos; the only thing comparable on the track is the bass that immediately follows. Finishing off “You Can’t Trust A Ladder” with a slower tempo, piano-led track in “We Will Be Disappointed Together”, the band seems to take a step back.
Instead of being at the forefront of this genre, much like they have been with progressive rock, indie-rock and a host of different sounds, what follows is something that does not have the exuberant joy held by The Rocket Summer or carefully-chosen vocals of Rufus Wainwright; this does not stop the track from being just as solid as the rest of the tracks on the disc, and a memorable song to boot. “You Can’t Trust A Ladder” is a rollercoaster ride through the various sounds and acts that have influenced The Myriad throughout the years, and thwe bvand maintains the delicate balance between just sounding like the band and blandly aping the sound.
Top Tracks: When Fire Falls, Godray
Rating: 6.7/10
The Myriad – You Can’t Trust A Ladder / 2005 Floodgate / 11 Tracks / http://www.themyriad.net / http://www.floodgaterecords.com / Reviewed 28 June 2005