Review Summary: Lake Cisco succeed in crafting a fresh alternative rock record with progressive properties
It has always startled me how a band of such quality as
Lake Cisco has never gotten any international recognition. Hailing from Koblenz, Germany, the four-piece is barely even known in the national scene, whereas bands like
Blackmail,
Long Distance Calling or
The Hirsch Effekt have established themselves fairly well over the years.
It is almost certain that fans of the band
Oceansize will instantly like
Permanent Transient for its unconventional song structures and mix of alternative rock, post rock, and even glimpses of metal and post-hardcore. Compared to the Manchester band though, Lake Cisco keep their sound a lot tighter and focus less on experimentation, while also proving that they are capable of writing unique and quite diverse material.
One of the most striking things about this record is how effortlessly it manages to keep the balance between immediateness and anticipation. The songs, which often clock in around 6 or 7 minutes provide space for an extensive exploration of motifs and just feel long enough to keep things interesting. The tracks often incorporate post-rock style build-ups fused with dozens of explosive hooks and riffs, which sound as fresh as it gets in the genre. On top of that it is quite astonishing how the band is able to create a certain unity of entropy for the album. You probably know the feeling of listening to an album, wondering which track you are on even after multiple listens because it all just kind of blurs together. This is definitely not the case with Permanent Transient. Every song on this album has character.
Some praise has to be given to the production on this album, which is nothing short of stellar. The guitars sound juicy, the basslines are clearly audible and provide enough depth as a basis for the rest of the instruments, while the drums break away from standard 4/4 for extensive parts of the record to spice things up. Every instrument has room to breathe and really shines in its own light. Rather than oppressing the instruments the vocals are augmenting the entire experience. Resembling
Incubus’ Brandon Boyd, Florian Sczesny clearly is at the center of attention and proves his proficiency by dabbling in a soaring midrange, falsettos, and even the occasional shout. The only negative thing I have to mention is that the three interludes between the 'real' songs are not really adding anything to the whole and are often rather distracting.
This record is truly a must-listen for fans of contemporary alternative rock with a progressive edge. For a debut this is some impressive work and really needs to get more recognition. I for one am excited to hear the band’s sophomore effort, which is currently in the works.
