MJBrady
Published on: 28 Aug 2002
Having had the pleasure of hearing some of the bands demos over the past year and a half, hardly prepared me for Bubblemaths' debut and official release! It is an amazing cd to say the least, they incorporate much of the progressive complexities found in bands like Echolyn, Gentle Giant, or even Happy the Man, along with that they are mixing some of the vocal antics of Stray Cats, Devo, Spock's Beard, all this while never sounding like any one of these bands, but all of them collectively, which is to say Bubblemath is it's very own thing. And a very good thing at that, imagine as a progressive/fusion listener and reviewer, I am always searching for the great bands that are existing in virtual obscurity for lack of airplay and promotional backing, and here I find one in my own back yard. Well close anyway, they are from my home state of Minnesota, USA, and believe me, progressive music is not one of the local music genres that is enjoying a surge in popularity, in fact it's hard to even find any prog at local stores here in the Minneapolis area. As of this date, Bubblemath's cd rates easily as my favorite of the year thus far, they are very original, the density of the music is incredible, and the complexity is ingenious, and the multi-harmonic vocals are so Echolyn like. Each song is a pleasure to the ears, the band really paid careful attention to detail, making the music an adventure in sonic progressive bliss. This cd is a must for all progressive rock fans that like any of the bands mentioned, don't let the pop artists in this review sway your interests in this band, as these comparisons were made to allude to certain small segments of the cd, make no mistake, Bubblemath are more than a contender in the progressive community. Special mention should be made of the packaging and booklet design, beautifully done, great artwork, and very detailed information is provided, you can find the bands cd at Wayside Music online. http://www.waysidemusic.com ENJOY!
Nuno
Published on: 27 May 2002
I must confess I’m very excited about this band. Not often enough, a debut album from a young ravishing band comes along that positively makes you head-banging and start dancing non-sense steps.
Such fine particles of the Universe is such an album. There are an all sort of particularities that make this first work by Minnesota quintet Bubblemath a distinctive shockwave in the already revolting progressive lake.
If the flavors of Yezda Urfa and Echolyn are for your taste, imagine them taken to the limits of absurd, both lyrically and musically. Sparkle that mix with some Devo geek approaches and Gentle Giant richly textured breaks and swirling mesmerizing tempo-changes and you’ll be about to picture what’s happening in this CD. Now you only have to add it a lot of French TV sense of humor and a highly electrifying force field that will cruise your brain cells to the point of regenerating the less active ones. OK, after this exercise, you will be able to apprehend the Mathematics of the Bubble.(!?)
This case-study in deranged musicality is only accessible for those willing to step in the new territories of progressive music science. For the melody lines are intricately mixed in the chaotic and frantic mixture of moods and delirious attacks.
I say that Bubblemath are visionary musicians that test the listener in order to clearly draw the line between those who prefer the settled progressive line of melody delicacy and/or virtuoso display of musicianship and those adventurous at heart that are always ready for new sonic experiences. The target of Such fine particles of the universe is clearly this last group.
To say that their music is dense and ingenious is just not enough to emphasize the real depth of this psycho trip into the lands of detail-crafted and multi-layered compositions.
Miscreant Citizen starts the assault on the listener with intricate rhythms and misleading keyboard loops. The vocals are edgy and distorted until the melodic break a la Echolyn. The music evolves like that, from furious passed to calm and eerie vocal passages. By the third minute, the listener will be already familiarized with his own perplexity, waiting for a new surprise with each chord that is played. This is the feeling that will accompany the listener through this whole experience.
Be Together starts almost as a pseudo-ballad, but the rhythmic complexity just isn’t compatible with that statement. The music then accelerates and evolves to an almost chaotic state where all instruments seem to be fighting for anarchy rights. Unexpectedly, the music swirls down to a Gentle Giantish vocal game with a strong melodic sense. This vocal game starts very calm but accelerates to mach3 by the end of the song…excellent.
Dancing with your pants down presents an odd mix between dissonant RIO, punk (reminiscent by guidance of some vocalizations) and it has a flute solo landing from outer space just to top the cake. (ahhh! And the humorous lyrics…!)
She’s no vegetarian is a bluesy interlude with infectious beat and vocals that remind me of the most uprising moments of Tom Waits or, in a completely different stand-point view, the good-mood blues explorations of Barry Adamson in his As above so below.
Doll Hammer brings back Bubblemath to their most complex musical status. The rhythm changes inside the thick plot of time signatures that are purposed by the band are most noticed in this track.
TV paid off is a most lunatic track that comprehend chords almost reminiscent of some 60’s commercial jingles but rapidly turns into a demonstration of bizarre sound collages and disorienting song structures.
Help yourself to a neighbor is simply one of my favorite tracks. It’s energizing while deeply strange. The (again bizarre) vocal work is awesome in terms of igniting the music to its fiery condition and the instruments simply add it with gasoline.
Forever Endeavor is the quickest track in this album. It’s dissonant and complex to its limits.
Heavenly scared so and Your disease is nicer is the setting of a style. Here it is most notorious that this album is not about randomness but the result of a distinctive and very well thought objective. Bubblemath moves with the easiness of the predestinated bands inside their own creation.
While listening to this album I can argue that, in fact, YOUR (Bubblemath’s) disease is much nicer than mine.
Potential people starts with a nice calm interlude, but as the music really unfolds, it crosses cool jazzy lands, smashing chaos and the psycho mixture of both…
Cells out is the gateway out from this wormhole of emotions. Another set of fine particles that mostly populate Bubblemath’s Universe.
Now, do you understand the bases of the Bubble Mathematics? No? I confess I am also a bit confused…can you please give us another lesson?? (please?!).
Satch
Published on: 2 Apr 2002
WOW, What a tasty Morsel! Very cool and strange music from Minnesota
Quirky Prog Pop of the highest order. I have spoken quite a few times in the past
via Internet & E-mail with the Keyboardist of this fine group over the last year
and a half. And I also heard a few of their older Demos and was still not prepared
for how much this release would floor me! In my opinion it doesn't get much better
than this, and on their 1st release! The music is well produced, well played, and
well written ......WELL......I hear many elements of influence, quirky and otherwise
Gentle Giant, Devo, Genesis, Mike Keneally, Talking Heads,maybe a little
Elvis Costello. But all used to advantage. Frankly Bubblemath sounds 1st and
foremost like Bubblemath!!!In most cases I favor technical soloing above all else
but within the twists and swerves and curves in this music it is not necessary for
for much soloing to even occur. I highly suggest you go to your local CD outlet
and say I want my Bubblemath loud and proud!!!!! I hope for these Gents that this
release is a success and that folks from everywhere will wake up and notice
excellent bands like this from around the globe!!!!!!
Source: http://www.proggnosis.com/MUSIC_DBCDInfo.asp?txtCDID=4071%20