... And the Ever Expanding Universe (Review by Anonymously Rach)

So I was contemplating what to write about today, and I decided I would do a review of the soon to be released album "...And the Ever Expanding Universe" by The Most Serene Republic. This album is due for July 14th, but I managed to get a hold of it and have a listen. To say the least I had been anticipating this album for months now and I was ecstatic to listen to it. When I listened to it the musical quality that they created in their "Population" album, and how new and intriguing their sound was, all my expectations were met, and more.

The opening song, "Bubble Reputation", in the album is an amazing start where they have a healthy sound of brass in the background before the song began. Think of it as a prelude to the material to come. When you heard the brass intro, you could feel that something unique and exciting was building. I was not disappointed continued to I listen to each track. Each and every piece was amazing to listen to, and extremely well written. Even the slower songs in the album had amazing dynamics contrasts and some wonderful singing and chord progressions to boot. Each song was well crafted and written. "Patternicity" was very interesting to me, because it sounded like a classical composition with a David Brubeck - "Take Five" feel to it. Also "Heavens to Purgatory" will have you dancing on your feet. The album is very diverse. You will always be able to find something to fit your mood.

The band itself consists of music majors from Toronto, so I assumed (Dangerous word), they would know what they were doing when it came to writing music. Fortunately, my assumptions were correct and these guys were just absolutely amazing. To be honest it's my favorite band as of late, and they continue to push the limits. I guess the only criticism I could think of was that I was hoping to hear some songs that were a little more intense in the track list like they had in "Population", I.E. "Compliance" (Amazing song). Also the drumming is complicated in the new album, but if you ever listen to their E.P. "Phages" or "Population", you will hear some of the most intense drum rhythms any indie rock band could pull out. So I was hoping for more of that as well, but what can you do? It's still amazing! Be prepared for exciting feats in tempo meter as well, because one can expect that the "Most Serene Republic" will pull out some uncommon time signatures in their music. such as 5/4, 7/8, or even 17/4. I whole heartedly recommend a listen to this band, and their newest album, "...And the Ever Expanding Universe" It is a sound very well defined, full of rich textures and colors. 5/5!

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