Posted on: April 3, 2012 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

 

Justin Stang and Jim Elenteny have known each other since childhood; the music that results from this friendship is some of the most pure and complimentary that we have heard.  The duo is a platonic couple; where a husband and wife can complete each other’s sentences, these two finish lines and arrangements. It is this cohesive sound that makes Science! into one of the few acts that we have been excited about in 2012; their Two Guitars Live should be a revelatory experience.

Science! is an act that is able to craft mature, intricate tracks without having to sweeten any sound or piece a coherent track through countless tacks. Their album, Two Guitars Live, was just released (and is available for individuals to purchase at their Bandcamp.  The interplay between Justin and Jim allows a track like You and Rachel to reach a timeless state; fans of alternative, guitar rock, classic guitar, bluegrass, and blues can find something here. The duo’s ability to insert a detailed narrative before the vocals even begin on the aforementioned You and Rachel speaks volumes about their technical virtuosity.

Time is a track that provides listeners a different facet of Science!. The band looks back to the days of the Athens, GA (R.E.M., Matthew Sweet, Neutral Milk Hotel) stranglehold on independent music . Rather than be a retro act, Science! imbues each guitar line and lyric with a current feel. This means that the richness of Two Guitars Live is unparalleled; what Science! does in one take far outstrips “good” bands’ collective efforts. The emotional intensity of Days Spent immediately hits listeners, ensuring that they focus in for the disc’s final three tracks.

Check them out if you can make it up to the Pacific Northwest; I am confident that they will expand as soon as more listeners take note of their inimitable style.  Two Guitars Live is a rare example of an album that takes the best of live recordings (providing listeners with all the band’s fire and fury) and those recorded in a stereo (a more polished and smooth approach). Give the band whatever you can spare for a copy of Two Guitars Live; I would love to hear the band’s sound expand and evolve over the course of their next few albums. Check out their Kickstarter for more information about their upcoming release – http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/scienceseattle/science-record-their-debut-ep .

Top Tracks: Austin Tune, Things Is Going My Way

Rating: 8.4/10

Science! – Two Guitars Live (CD) / 2012 Shuk Dog Records / 7 Tracks / http://www.scienceseattle.com / http://www.sonicbids.com/science2 / http://www.facebook.com/scienceseattle / http://scienceseattle.bandcamp.com/

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