cd review.
Lipona - Urbi Et Orbi
Record Label: Unsigned
Release Date: August 31, 2007
Not surprisingly, the times I spend remembering why life is so great usually happen while music is playing. You all know the feeling: a melody takes flight; the instruments mimic beauty (or an existential property neither of us understand); a smile forms, bathing those lucky enough to be in the room with notions of believable dreams and achievable goals. In a perfect world, this would happen everyday, with every band. For once I don’t have anything to rant about. Lipona is just too good. Ouch! My hype muscles are sore from lack-of-use.
Melodic punk-rock has wowed me over the past year. It was one of those genres I’d heard about but never did anything about (other things in this category: eating fruits and vegetables daily, having the asbestos removed from my ceiling). Now I feel like most of the bands making me drool are of this musical persuasion. Lipona, in the span of only five songs, have traveled to the middle of my radar. Rest assured I will be paying close attention to their exploits. Here’s (specifically) why: “Success Stories” laments the invisibility of young people through a catchy, catchier, catchiest chorus and a mixture of straightforward snare hits and winding riffs. Yamil Velez’s vocals are such that “manly” seems like a completely inadequate adjective. “To Wishful Thinking!” begins furiously with Velez semi-shouting. But the end shines. Carefully harmonized vocals turn into sparse screams and gang vocal pleas of, “Give us back now / What we deserve!” It’s punk and it’s fast and it’s just plain fun.
Despite their mildly historic name and Latin album title (which translates to, “To the City of Rome and to the World”), Lipona are extremely accessible. The drums and uber-masculine (still inadequate) vocals are varied enough to keep fist-pumping aficionados entertained while never alienating former (unpaid) Abercrombie and Fitch models. “The Citadel” has somehow made it onto every playlist I have. Because of it’s tempo and post-hardcore leanings, “The Citadel” made it on my heavy list (“FURY-ous”), the melodies landed it on my sister’s list (“B's Beatz”), and the versatility smacked it near the top of my always-evolving, recent favorites list (“I’ve been diggin you!”). Yeah, you didn’t need to know all that. (I’m a poor self-editor - Blake.) However, remember this: Lipona’s EP is up for free download. You would be sorely mistaken if you think a fulfilled life is possible without Urbi Et Orbi. Consider me flabbergasted.
Recommended If You Like: Rise Against, Ignite, This, A Wilhelm Scream, AWW Baby Julius Caesar!!
Record Label: Unsigned
Release Date: August 31, 2007
Not surprisingly, the times I spend remembering why life is so great usually happen while music is playing. You all know the feeling: a melody takes flight; the instruments mimic beauty (or an existential property neither of us understand); a smile forms, bathing those lucky enough to be in the room with notions of believable dreams and achievable goals. In a perfect world, this would happen everyday, with every band. For once I don’t have anything to rant about. Lipona is just too good. Ouch! My hype muscles are sore from lack-of-use.
Melodic punk-rock has wowed me over the past year. It was one of those genres I’d heard about but never did anything about (other things in this category: eating fruits and vegetables daily, having the asbestos removed from my ceiling). Now I feel like most of the bands making me drool are of this musical persuasion. Lipona, in the span of only five songs, have traveled to the middle of my radar. Rest assured I will be paying close attention to their exploits. Here’s (specifically) why: “Success Stories” laments the invisibility of young people through a catchy, catchier, catchiest chorus and a mixture of straightforward snare hits and winding riffs. Yamil Velez’s vocals are such that “manly” seems like a completely inadequate adjective. “To Wishful Thinking!” begins furiously with Velez semi-shouting. But the end shines. Carefully harmonized vocals turn into sparse screams and gang vocal pleas of, “Give us back now / What we deserve!” It’s punk and it’s fast and it’s just plain fun.
Despite their mildly historic name and Latin album title (which translates to, “To the City of Rome and to the World”), Lipona are extremely accessible. The drums and uber-masculine (still inadequate) vocals are varied enough to keep fist-pumping aficionados entertained while never alienating former (unpaid) Abercrombie and Fitch models. “The Citadel” has somehow made it onto every playlist I have. Because of it’s tempo and post-hardcore leanings, “The Citadel” made it on my heavy list (“FURY-ous”), the melodies landed it on my sister’s list (“B's Beatz”), and the versatility smacked it near the top of my always-evolving, recent favorites list (“I’ve been diggin you!”). Yeah, you didn’t need to know all that. (I’m a poor self-editor - Blake.) However, remember this: Lipona’s EP is up for free download. You would be sorely mistaken if you think a fulfilled life is possible without Urbi Et Orbi. Consider me flabbergasted.
Recommended If You Like: Rise Against, Ignite, This, A Wilhelm Scream, AWW Baby Julius Caesar!!