Search - Heavenly States :: Black Comet

Heavenly States
Black Comet
Genres: Alternative Rock, Pop, Rock

Track Listings (12) - Disc #1
1. Look and Listen
2. Pretty Life
3. Black Comet
4. Borderline
5. Song in F
6. Elastic Days
7. Racetrack
8. Light Dressed Storm
9. Vacant
10. The Pale
11. A Revolution Away
12. The Witness

Black Comet is dense, economical rock presenting full, raw performances in a chamber rock setting. From the classic rock style of "Look and Listen" and "Pretty Life" in the vein of Neil Young, Van Morrison and VU, to th... more »e southern rock gothic of "Elastic Days" that pauses for a Palestrinian lullaby right in middle of the song, this record is handling heavy equipment and handling it well. Horns join in for the "The Pale", a The Who-wants-to-party track, and they appear again on "Black Comet," a song that blends traditional "Cotton-eyed Joe" with Creedence?s "Fortunate Son" into a manic coping song -- or is it a fighting song? Like the gas-powered rockabilly spirit of "Racetrack," most tracks on the record hit hard right out of the box, but for this very reason, don?t miss the four songs that stray from the ring. Slow dance "Song in F" asks the dance partner to "Stand in, if you must, for the bones on the ground," before the music runs right into regret. "A Revolution Away" is a breathless waltz, a wordless giggle that puts innocence, mischief and hope in very close proximity to the cynical dragon. Funereal anthem "The Witness" might best be filmed at an English football match with the stands singing its Verdi-style chorus, except this is a song about what it feels like when defeat and victory can no longer be distinguished. Gypsy violins replace swooping synthesizers in "Light Dressed Storm," a dance track about the ground getting its revenge on the sky. (Baria Records on The Heavenly States album Black Comet) Now that Bruce Baby (Springsteen) has taken it down a notch or a dozen, where has all the gusto, that larger-than-humdrum-life rock, gone? It sounds like it's safe in the hands of the Heavenly States. The Oakland band's Black Comet (Baria) dares to grab at that huge honking sound and scope, so rare and out of favor these days ? thanks to the always energetic singing by Ted Nesseth, the up-front fiddling of Genevieve Gagon, and the band's tendency to sound as urgent as a 15-alarm fire and generally kick heinie whenever they play. When words fail Nesseth, and the sweet waltz of "A Revolution Away" fades into the poignant flute folk of "The Witness," you're prepared to hand over the keys to Brother Brucie's kingdom of inspirational rock. (Kimberly Chun, San Francisco Bay Guardian, May 2005)

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CD Details

All Artists: Heavenly States
Title: Black Comet
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Baria Records
Original Release Date: 1/1/2005
Re-Release Date: 7/12/2005
Genres: Alternative Rock, Pop, Rock
Style: Indie & Lo-Fi
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPCs: 805386026824, 875444004163

Synopsis

Album Description

Black Comet is dense, economical rock presenting full, raw performances in a chamber rock setting. From the classic rock style of "Look and Listen" and "Pretty Life" in the vein of Neil Young, Van Morrison and VU, to the southern rock gothic of "Elastic Days" that pauses for a Palestrinian lullaby right in middle of the song, this record is handling heavy equipment and handling it well. Horns join in for the "The Pale", a The Who-wants-to-party track, and they appear again on "Black Comet," a song that blends traditional "Cotton-eyed Joe" with Creedence?s "Fortunate Son" into a manic coping song -- or is it a fighting song? Like the gas-powered rockabilly spirit of "Racetrack," most tracks on the record hit hard right out of the box, but for this very reason, don?t miss the four songs that stray from the ring. Slow dance "Song in F" asks the dance partner to "Stand in, if you must, for the bones on the ground," before the music runs right into regret. "A Revolution Away" is a breathless waltz, a wordless giggle that puts innocence, mischief and hope in very close proximity to the cynical dragon. Funereal anthem "The Witness" might best be filmed at an English football match with the stands singing its Verdi-style chorus, except this is a song about what it feels like when defeat and victory can no longer be distinguished. Gypsy violins replace swooping synthesizers in "Light Dressed Storm," a dance track about the ground getting its revenge on the sky. (Baria Records on The Heavenly States album Black Comet) Now that Bruce Baby (Springsteen) has taken it down a notch or a dozen, where has all the gusto, that larger-than-humdrum-life rock, gone? It sounds like it's safe in the hands of the Heavenly States. The Oakland band's Black Comet (Baria) dares to grab at that huge honking sound and scope, so rare and out of favor these days ? thanks to the always energetic singing by Ted Nesseth, the up-front fiddling of Genevieve Gagon, and the band's tendency to sound as urgent as a 15-alarm fire and generally kick heinie whenever they play. When words fail Nesseth, and the sweet waltz of "A Revolution Away" fades into the poignant flute folk of "The Witness," you're prepared to hand over the keys to Brother Brucie's kingdom of inspirational rock. (Kimberly Chun, San Francisco Bay Guardian, May 2005)

CD Reviews

New Kicks

Dolphina | Miami, Fl | 07/17/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In the past five or so years there has been an obvious trend in popular music. I have heard people refer to it as a "revival". There has been something missing from most of the albums that have been released in this new-old genre. Interpretation. A band of moderately versed musicians can mimic just about any riff or nostalgic mood that rock and roll has to offer, but that is not what makes something relevant. The Heavenly States are relevant because they lace up their musical shoes with their own soles, pockets, tongue and gription. The songs are all different and full of invention. They use their own particular illusions and fears and angst and love, and wrap it up in riffs that we've `almost' heard before. I swear there's a Van Morrison song in the vein of "Look and Listen" but the chorus takes it somewhere else completely. The title track is much like the comet Ted Nesseth sings about. It rushes by, beginning with a huge tribal drum beat that becomes a country ho-down. In the middle eight, the sax solo (yes - a sax solo) is like Clarence Clemons on speed with the rest of the E Street Band. I'm able to hear a multitude of influences and at the same time have a feeling I haven't had before. The album rolls seamlessly in and out of emotions and genres and that makes it stand out like the sore thumb home in the neighborhood -- the home you have to wonder about. This year, it's being subletted by The Heavenly States."

Review from the Synthesis

Synthesis_jason | Chico, CA | 09/01/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Heavenly States churn out rambunctious rock, like the spawn of The Replacements and The Wonder Stuff. The spirit of a rollicking bar band drives much of Black Comet, but what really makes the album click is the addition of Genevieve Gagon's violin and viola. These smokin' strings combine with occasional sax, trumpet and keys to expand the band's sound, enabling The Heavenly States to rock in a more unique way, which is always good. On songs like "Elastic Days" and "Look And Listen," Gagon's violin adds an extra emotional element and an urgent texture to the tunes. While Ted Nesseth's vocal range does not appear to be that broad, he compensates by having something just as important: a true tone of sincerity.

- Connell Burton McDaniel

Synthesis.net"