Floating in the Art of Falling Forward
02/03/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Noise626 hit me harder than I had anticipated when I heard the album," The Art of Falling Forward." I have listened to many bands lately and have been feeling uninspired, to say the least. I opened the disc, popped it in my stereo and kicked back in my office.I was not sure what to expect. It had been described to me, as 'dark, almost Goth-like,' and I thought to myself, "nothing wrong with that." When I heard the music start, I was impressed with the song's structure and beat. I heard the vocals kick in and decided right away that this person could sing. Then, I looked at the picture of the artist on the inside of the cover, and said to myself... "This guy's black!"Now, I do not want to give off the impression that black people cannot or do not get off on rock music because we all know that to be erroneous. However, this was not just rock and roll... this was 'dark, almost Goth-like,' and it was tripping me out. So what, I'm honest... the guy is black and I think it kicks[]that he is writing these great, dark, Goth-like songs. That tells me that he is being himself, that he needs to get this music out and that it means something to him. That is what I look for in an artist. I realize that artists have to think of clever labels to give their work; society has made this so. What genre is it? Whom does it sound like? What artists are you currently trying to imitate? Well, screw you all... the funny thing is that the music of Noise626 is dark, but 'Goth-like' is just a simple categorization. It does not really explain Noise626. Besides, gothic music is just as much about image as rock, punk, rap and country. This guy wasn't trying to be 'gothic" anymore than I was. I do not care about your new car, clothes, tattoos, or any other damn thing you try to sell me in the form of 'image music'. I want my music with severed nerves and contemplation. That's right... I want to feel like the artist has something to say, or that they need to get something out because if they do not, they are going to explode. I want something sacred and meaningful. Therefore, as you may have guessed, I do not listen to the radio very often. Either way, Noise626 delivered that sacred feeling to me. I thoroughly enjoyed the album, and i have tremendous faith that this artist has the ability to make a lasting impression on anyone who chooses to be open minded enough to listen to him."