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 Post subject: Blue Aside - The Orange Tree
PostPosted: Sun Dec 12, 2010 1:20 pm 

Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2010 1:05 pm
Posts: 104
Location: Boston
Review by Gruesome Greg,
(TooHighToGetItRight.com)

Although Palace in Thunderland weren't household names outside of the Boston area during their seven-year run, their demise has produced a couple of trios that are breathing fresh air into a stagnant stoner doom scene. One of these bands is a group you mighta heard of by the name of Black Pyramid. The other is Blue Aside who, judging by the strength of the material on this five-song EP, will soon carve out their own niche with their heavy space rock vibes.

Opening track “The Traveller of Time and Space” sucks you in with swirling guitars over a heavy bottom end. The vocals, which take two minutes to arrive, go from low and guttural at the start to high-pitched and robotic, with a spacey sludge chorus and a winding keyboard outtro.

“Otis' Sun” is a tribute to my favourite local band, at least in name, although you get the feeling that these guys smoke up to Hawkwind more often than Hendrix. Following track “Orange Eyes” is much more OTIS-like, a slow, driving sludge riff blazing the way, albeit with some out-of-this-planet guitar interludes, Adam Abrams achieving a cosmic guitar tone to match his astronautic vocal stylings. This is space rock for the 21st century.

“Black Rays” is the slowest song of the five, a pounding, pummelling slice of cosmic doom with some serious psychedelic breakdowns and its fair share of Pentagram worship. “The Inevitable Journey” brings the EP to its inevitable conclusion, in grandiose YOB fashion.

Whereas other sludge bands who deal in cosmic themes, like Zoroaster and The Atlas Moth, use harsh black-metal vocals to get their message across, Abrams' warm, clean tones give Blue Aside a big boost. Their deftly executed blending of sludgy doom grooves with spacy guitar (and occasional synth) passages provides the missing link between Sleep and Hawkwind, YOB and Captain Beyond, Sons of OTIS and Secret Saucer... You get the idea. As an initial artistic statement, The Orange Tree succeeds immensely. (I was gonna say “goes where no band has gone before” but that's just lame. Feel free to add your own “To infinity and beyond” “One small step for a band” cliches if you must...)


URL: http://www.myspace.com/blueaside

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 Post subject: Re: Blue Aside - The Orange Tree
PostPosted: Sun Dec 12, 2010 4:52 pm 

Joined: Sun Dec 05, 2010 12:22 pm
Posts: 318
....."Sons of OTIS and Secret Saucer"- ok, ok you got me there. Will have to check this out.

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 Post subject: Re: Blue Aside - The Orange Tree
PostPosted: Mon Dec 13, 2010 11:42 pm 

Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2010 10:48 am
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Reviewed By Andy “Dinger Beresky”
Hydro-Phonic Records
Release Date December 14th, 2010

Every once in awhile, there comes a band that blends disparate influences and elements so seamlessly, organically and effectively that their arrival signals a paradigm shift in the world of underground music.

Sure, neo-psychedelic acts like Naam and La Otracina have successfully incorporated extreme metal influences on their latest releases, and Boris has long been able to bridge the void between indie psych and heavy doom, but none of them have nailed it like Blue Aside do on their debut EP, the first in a series of conceptual pieces from this self-described “concept band.”

You see, Blue Aside take the idea of the concept album one step further, opting to extend their concept to every aspect of the band’s lyrical and musical content. The Orange Tree is the first in a series of voyages into their bizarre and surreal science fiction world, where the workers of Earth must live and toil underground as moles, while the rich upper class are protected by a mythical “orange tree” from the Sun’s fatal and ever-present radiation. Whether this is some sort of clever allegory to our current social and political climate, I leave that up to the listener, but it’s an intriguing concept that Blue Aside manages to carry out for the entirety of their five song debut, and they intend to make this ongoing saga the centerpiece of their future releases as well.

The songs themselves are well constructed, starting with the aptly titled “Traveler of Time And Space”, with its layered guitar sound and sharp contrast in vocal styles. After the swirling psychedelia of the guitars gives way to heavy doom crashes, the vocals mix a tripped out death metal grunt with an evil spoken word approach, before launching into the higher registers that bands like Yob have successfully melded with a powerful low end. The difference here is that Adam Abram’s nasally vocals are more reminiscent of a doomed out Syd Barrett than Geddy Lee. “Traveler” serves well as an opening track, and leads right into “Otis Sun”, the album’s standout track in my opinion. This song just has everything in it that Blue Aside do well, the harmonized, heavily effected guitar parts, the doom riffs that would make Saint Vitus proud, and the zonked out soloing that brings to mind Dave Chandler, J Mascis, Syd Barrett era Floyd, and even heavy nods to Hendrix. The vocals once again alternate between the high haunting clean vocals, and the ethereal death grunts. The verse progression is classic Floyd, but the chorus riff is classic Vitus, and once again they make this dichotomy work to their advantage.

“Orange Eyes” takes a different turn with a more straight forward approach to rhythm and melody, and a different vocal style than seen on the previous two tracks, thanks to drummer Matt Netto. It’s perhaps the most straight forward of the five tracks, but clocking in at over nine minutes, there are enough twists and turns to keep things interesting, along with another catchy chorus and a full on finale that mixes heavy Sabbath riffs with haunting melodies. “Black Rays” is the most upbeat track, and also one of the most angular, with various rhythmic stops and changes, some odd time signatures, and the mixture of a more uptempo metallic chug along with the doom lumberings. The final track of the album, “The Inevitable Journey”, is another longer number at seven and a half minutes, and it once again covers a lot of ground. Starting off heavy and downtuned like many of their other numbers, the ending finds Blue Aside exploring a more heavy shoegaze influenced universe, along the lines of something Boris could pull off, but the backing vocal arrangements remind me a bit of Soundgarden as well.

Unrelentingly progressive, Blue Aside are obviously a product of their varied influences, but tread their own unique path through the musical legacy that the past 45 years have left us with. It’s a path that’s worth exploring, and the band is definitely a trio of musical journeymen if nothing else. Each song is a trip in itself, into the mythos and worlds that they’ve created for themselves, beside The Orange Tree. Highly recommended for fans of both the doom and indie psych spectrums, fans of Naam, Yob, Dead Meadow, Sons of Otis, Quest For Fire, and Boris, take note and pick this one up. Rumor is they’re working on a full length, and if it captures any of the vast potential shown here, it’s going to be highly anticipated after such a momentous debut.




http://www.crawlingchaoscollective.com/?p=79

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 Post subject: Re: Blue Aside - The Orange Tree
PostPosted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 9:15 pm 

Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2010 1:05 pm
Posts: 104
Location: Boston
You can order the CD now straight from Hydro-Phonics Records.
http://www.myspace.com/hydrophonicrecords

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 Post subject: Re: Blue Aside - The Orange Tree
PostPosted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 10:33 pm 

Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2010 10:48 am
Posts: 1637
Any idea when the vinyl is going to be released? I'd like to pick myself up a copy of that...

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 Post subject: Re: Blue Aside - The Orange Tree
PostPosted: Fri Dec 24, 2010 12:01 pm 
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Location: Albuquerque
Sounds really good. Just put an order in for this one.


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 Post subject: Re: Blue Aside - The Orange Tree
PostPosted: Sun Dec 26, 2010 3:20 am 
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Location: Melbourne, Australia
Grabbed this off iTunes but will grab the vinyl when it comes.


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 Post subject: Re: Blue Aside - The Orange Tree
PostPosted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 2:16 am 

Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2010 1:05 pm
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Location: Boston
Th
Dinger wrote:
Any idea when the vinyl is going to be released? I'd like to pick myself up a copy of that...


Sometime in 2011

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 Post subject: Re: Blue Aside - The Orange Tree
PostPosted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 11:04 am 
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Location: Albuquerque
Just got my copy the other day. Unfortunately, the cd doesn't play right in my car and I get about as much static as music. Fortunately at least it uploading onto my computer fine.

As for the music, the first two tracks are great. The other 3 don't live up to the first 2. Overall, I find this to be a solid album from a band that has some good promise.


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 Post subject: Re: Blue Aside - The Orange Tree
PostPosted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 9:45 pm 

Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2010 10:48 am
Posts: 1637
Adam wrote:
Just got my copy the other day. Unfortunately, the cd doesn't play right in my car and I get about as much static as music. Fortunately at least it uploading onto my computer fine.

As for the music, the first two tracks are great. The other 3 don't live up to the first 2. Overall, I find this to be a solid album from a band that has some good promise.


I think that the first two are definitely the most immediate, but the other 3 actually grow on you the more you listen to the album, they have different subtleties, especially that last track.

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 Post subject: Re: Blue Aside - The Orange Tree
PostPosted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 10:16 am 

Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2010 10:48 am
Posts: 1637
Ended up giving it one of my top EP's of the year for my blog, http://www.crawlingchaoscollective.com. You can check out the rest of the list at that site, but kudos Adam and Co. you guys certainly earned it, and looking forward to the first full length album!

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 Post subject: Re: Blue Aside - The Orange Tree
PostPosted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 3:11 pm 

Joined: Mon Jan 03, 2011 9:28 pm
Posts: 74
Location: O-Town, Florida
Listening to this one right now, it's pretty damn good. Shows much promise for a future LP.

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 Post subject: Re: Blue Aside - The Orange Tree
PostPosted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 2:47 pm 
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Location: Massachusetts
I like the 3rd and 4th tracks the best myself.

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 Post subject: Re: Blue Aside - The Orange Tree
PostPosted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 2:56 pm 

Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2010 10:48 am
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I think all the tracks are great, after awhile the last one, with the really cool ending, is what really stuck with me.


Hellride gave it a a hell of a review...

http://www.hellridemusicforums.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=23762

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 Post subject: Re: Blue Aside - The Orange Tree
PostPosted: Thu Jan 13, 2011 5:40 am 
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It took me a while but all 5 tracks have a place. Initially it was the first two that grabbed me, but after a dozen listens or soi the other 3 fell into place. Hopefully a LP is not to far away.


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 Post subject: Re: Blue Aside - The Orange Tree
PostPosted: Thu Jan 13, 2011 7:22 am 

Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2010 10:48 am
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Desertblues wrote:
It took me a while but all 5 tracks have a place. Initially it was the first two that grabbed me, but after a dozen listens or soi the other 3 fell into place. Hopefully a LP is not to far away.


They played out here the other night, and did all new material, which was all pretty awesome, so I'd say they're at least writing for the the full length at this point. They did a solid 35 minutes, and none of it was from the EP.

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 Post subject: Re: Blue Aside - The Orange Tree
PostPosted: Thu Jan 13, 2011 5:29 pm 

Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2010 10:48 am
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Interviewed them for my new blog, The Crawling Chaos. You can check it out here: http://www.crawlingchaoscollective.com/?p=98

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 Post subject: Re: Blue Aside - The Orange Tree
PostPosted: Sun Jan 16, 2011 10:13 am 
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The album has grown more on me. Still like tracks 1+2 best, track three only gets good at the midway point when the vocals depart, and the closing 2 tracks were the biggest growers for sure.

My actual cd continues to frustrate the hell out of me as 3 out of 4 attempts fail when I try to play the cd in my car.


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 Post subject: Re: Blue Aside - The Orange Tree
PostPosted: Sun Jan 16, 2011 11:03 am 
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It actually wouldn't play the first time in my cd player at home.

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 Post subject: Re: Blue Aside - The Orange Tree
PostPosted: Mon Jan 17, 2011 10:26 am 

Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2010 10:48 am
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I really like that last track, "Black Rays" is also a great song, Adam had written that awhile ago though, about the time Palace In Thunderland split, and I'd heard various demo versions of it for awhile, so I guess it never really needed to grow on me at all.

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 Post subject: Re: Blue Aside - The Orange Tree
PostPosted: Mon Jan 17, 2011 10:43 pm 

Joined: Mon Jan 03, 2011 9:28 pm
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Location: O-Town, Florida
My mini-review for my The Klepto's Guide:

A new band with a new album that has been getting rave reviews across the net, time for me to sit down and give them a try. Blue Aside grows from the ashes of Palace of Thunderland, but unlike the other spin-off group, Black Pyramid, Blue Aside is much more grounded in the stoner aspect of sound. The Orange Tree is a five-song EP that showcases the future of the act. During my research of the group, I heard repeatedly that the first two tracks, "The Traveler of Time and Space" and "Otis' Sun," were what made the album, and that is correct. These songs are long, groovy, and really grow on you quick. The following three tracks really don't hold a candle to the beginning songs. "Black Rays," track four, seems under-produced - like the group is singing together in a bar - and quite poppy. I could see this being on an alternative rock station, it's a stark change of style compared to the rest of the release. The Orange Tree shows promise of what Blue Aside can offer, but in itself isn't something that will be on repeat on my stereo. They diversify their sound too much, when they should be focusing on their stoner/doom sounds, these are the best moments.

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 Post subject: Re: Blue Aside - The Orange Tree
PostPosted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 2:52 am 
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Dinger wrote:
I really like that last track, "Black Rays" is also a great song, Adam had written that awhile ago though, about the time Palace In Thunderland split, and I'd heard various demo versions of it for awhile, so I guess it never really needed to grow on me at all.


Black Rays is the song that continues to grow for me. Initially it sounded like they were trying to be all things to all people, Doom, 80's speed/thrash etc. It's now all coming together.


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 Post subject: Re: Blue Aside - The Orange Tree
PostPosted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 7:28 pm 

Joined: Thu Dec 23, 2010 11:38 am
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Yeah last couple of songs are growers. Good EP for re-listening. Solid album.


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 Post subject: Re: Blue Aside - The Orange Tree
PostPosted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 1:20 am 
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Dinger wrote:
Desertblues wrote:
It took me a while but all 5 tracks have a place. Initially it was the first two that grabbed me, but after a dozen listens or soi the other 3 fell into place. Hopefully a LP is not to far away.


They played out here the other night, and did all new material, which was all pretty awesome, so I'd say they're at least writing for the the full length at this point. They did a solid 35 minutes, and none of it was from the EP.


Who handles the vocals, specifically the clean versus the growls?


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 Post subject: Re: Blue Aside - The Orange Tree
PostPosted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 10:31 am 

Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2010 10:48 am
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Adam, the guitarist, and Netto, the drummer both do vocals.

They both do the clean vocals, Adam's are the whispier, more ethereal vocals, Netto's are more a bellow. Adam does the guttural vocals.

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