Who in here remembers the movie The Fifth Element and Chris Tucker’s character as Ruby Rhod? He used the color “green” as a quality description to signify what is great, amazing or simply cool. The new record by L.S. Dunes indirectly does the same thing: It uses the namesake Violet similarly even though maybe only through its title and not openly within the lyrics. What do you think about the new record? Well, it’s really violet! Agreed!
L.S. Dunes is one of these larger than life supergroups whose band members are or have been in some of THE ultimate Post-Hardcore bands this side of the millennium – Thursday, Saosin, Circa Survice, Coheed and Cambria, My Chemical Romance. Now does the new band sound anything like either of these aforementioned? Well, basically, NO, and that is definitely a good thing in this case, because it might turn out pretty chaotic (which might be confirmed by the seemingly uncontrolled and border-less debut album Past Lives). This record is a new step in the development of the band and I would say, it’s not only one in the right direction but also more like a jump than a mere step.
“Violet” is a color that combines things, it has red elements, some browns, a tiny bit of blue, sometimes a few orange particles – and the record is working on a similar, all-embracing level. You will find many different tempi on the record, but the overall soundscape is like a mixture of “violetty” warmth and calmness, which is not to imply that the guys have come up with a Folk-record, no please leave that to Dustin K. Nevertheless, there are songs that are a bit calmer than the others but then one can still hear a lot of things bubbling under the surface not in a threatening “I’m gonna explode any moment” kind of way. But more in the sense of “we are in this together and we will get through to the other end – together!” Take the opener ”Like Magick” - to have the guts to start the record with a short breath and an ensuing acapella passage by singer Anthony Green, perfect. When the track uses some guitar solos, some slightly powerful drum licks and some well-punctuated screams over the midtempo-foundations then it’s really magick. Not black magic, but violet!
The term itself is one that was important to the band to a certain degree as it was part of their concept for this record from the start – it was always there and never vanished. As if it was made for these ten songs: There was also a concept based on the experience of the debut album and the whole record cycle connected to it: the final track on Past Lives is ”Sleep Cult” with its line ”Sorry that I wish that I was dead” which slowly crept into Anthony’s head and he hated it by the end of their ensuing tour. Violet as a consequence is brighter and more hopeful and one can hear this pre-songwriting idea in the 39 minutes running time.
The tracks are an amazing display of Anthony’s vocal abilities as he can show his powerful sides as well as his weak ones without neither sounding whiney nor overtly masculine. The way that the Thursday rhythm section of Tucker Rule and Tim Payne drive the songs forwards is classic 90s/early Aughts Post-Hardcore working FOR the songs and not for their own egos. When Travis Stever and Frank Iero intertwine their guitar lines one sometimes has a syncopating synth effect while the other takes the lead. Of they riff off into the (violet) sunset together. One more thing becomes clear after the umpteenth spin in several days: this is not a side project, this is a full-fledged band which might be hard to coordinate time-wise but surely not songwriting-wise. Everything is one point, everything has its spot and own legitimacy. The way I would like to categorize this record is by pointing to several bands not personnel – wise connected to L.S. Dunes: Cursive, Thrice, Waterdown. But also Low, Bright Eyes or Hot Water Music. There are wonderful passages where two separate vocal lines connect even though being very different, although one hears that both are being delivered by singer Anthony, oftentimes on taking the clean vocals lead while some screaming vocals are laid beneath – a little bit like a shadow vocal line which combined is as magical as Peter Gabriel’s vocal lines on some songs on his So record.
Violet is an attitude on this record, there is warmth and positivity even amid problematic situations. There is no self-denial but a lot of self-sustaining friendliness. And the opening track also tells us how important the record is for the musicians, when the singer serenades us with the words ”Everything you do is like magick” - yes guys that can be said about most of your projects and especially about this one! But enough of my ramblings and let me end this review with a question – how violet is this record to you, Chris Tucker?
