8/10
Rifugium | Newtown Square, PA | 12/06/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Floater is a band that can't help but make great music. They can be diverse and artsy without being flamboyantly over-the-top or excessively technical. They have a creative sound that blends intelligent prog rock with the crunch of old-school grunge, and just a dash of Primus-like craziness. _Stone by Stone_ continues on in this fashion, and while there are a few parallels between it and Floater's previous efforts, they still manage to produce a fresh sound that distinguishes this album from their others. One thing that particularly stood out to me on the album was the vocals. I never considered Rob Wynia to be an "extraordinary" singer (and I still would not exactly use that adjective to describe his abilities), but there are moments where he truly excels, and it seems that he has really begun to reach new levels as a singer. Musically, Floater once again proves to be above and beyond your typical "three-chord-special" rock band, as the songs are chock full of both their trademark catchy, inventive electric riffs and their clean, overlain solo sections.
On the whole, the album is pretty upbeat, but still manages to keep the darker qualities of the band intact. "Ghost in the Making" and "Weightless" come across as album highlights, but then there are so many highlights, seeing as the feel of the album changes from song to song, from the spacy groove of "Spaces Between Us" to the tight, riff-heavy "Everything Falls Our Way" and the melodramatic "Tonight No One Knows," which invokes images of a classic prog rock ballad.
As I listen to this album more, it seems that it could in fact prove to contend with _Angels in the Flesh and Devils in the Bone_ to be my favorite Floater album. While I probably would recommend _Angels..._ as a starter album for a new listener, I wouldn't discourage you from picking up this new album if you saw it in the store (unlikely as Floater is still on a small, local record label, but you get my drift). _Stone by Stone_ is a great album by a great band who takes fundamental rock music to new heights, and turns it into something that is beyond "fundamental." It is a strong addition to Floater's already solid and diverse musical portfolio."
Track Listings (14) - Disc #1