Review Summary: An album that changed my perceptions on music
At some point in a person’s life they encounter an event; maybe a movie, maybe a real life situation, maybe a musical album, that changes the way they look at that particular element of their life. For me, that time was when I picked up
Who Speaks For Planet Earth? by New Hampshire based And Then There Were None.
Originally a metalcore band, ATTWN released their debut album, The Hope We Forgot Exists, before member changes and a longing to play a more open style transformed them into the dance-pop band that they are today. Don’t get me wrong though, just because ATTWN plays a style of European dance-pop does not mean that their metal roots are completely gone from the mix. The guitarists still have an important role, such as in Reinventing Robert Cohen and Thank the Watchmaker, where they provide a nifty wall of backing chords along with some riffs thrown in the mix. The drums also show a trace of their metal roots, as the mostly electronic drums ebb and flow, with patterns more common in metal versus pop.
Although this band has traces of their metal roots, this is a pop band, and the band’s sound is dominated by the keyboard and synth work. At the forefront of everything, the keys flourish with a variety of loops, pads and licks that whirl and spin amidst the backdrop of guitar and drums. Songs like The Atmosphere, and Bed of Nails are just a few of the tracks that showcase the keyboard work on
Who Speaks for Planet Earth?
The drums are a mix of electric and acoustic fare, with some fairly original fills and patterns for the most part, although the band does tend to fall back on the same single kick bass sound for a fair majority of the record, but this does not really distract from the overall atmosphere of the record. Bass is present on this record, but as with the drums, a lot of it is of the electric variety.
Vocals are another highlight of the album. The vocalist displays a good singing voice, and the ability to sing in both low octaves (The Atmosphere) as well as higher ones (Action is the Antidote). Along with perfectly placed backing vocals, this album just drips with catchy hooks and clever lyrics. Although the lyrics are Christian in nature, they can be interpreted in a variety of ways, and do not suffer from any lapses or repetitiveness.
Who Speaks for Planet Earth? Was an album that opened musical doors for me. It showed me a world outside the realm of metal, and inspired me to check out many non-metal artists and expand my musical horizons. Hopefully reading this will inspire you to pick up this album, as it is a very good pop album, and could very well expand your own personal musical tastes.
