Search - Rock Plaza Central :: At the Moment of Our Most Needing (Dig)

Delivers what "Are We Not Horses" promised

Ryan C. Richards | America | 11/12/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This might be my first review on Amazon. I felt compelled to write this because of the epic experience this album is, and because I thought it would be a travesty for the album to hold only two stars (as I don't anticipate many people will listen to, let alone review, such an obscure band's album).



If you've not yet listened to it, you might want to start with Rock Plaza Central's earlier album "Are We Not Horses?", for two reasons. First, it is most certainly the natural precursor to "at the moment of our most needing". They really seemed to establish their unique slice of folk/literature/Americana with "Horses", their first widespread release. Second, its a concept album about robotic, self-aware horses entangled in the ultimate battle between good and evil, and if I can sell you on that, "at the moment. . ." basically sells itself.



As the previous review notes, you should not expect rock music from this band. They are most certainly a folk band; you could also squeeze them into the "New Weird America" category next to Danielson (not that they sound particularly similar, but distant cousins, perhaps). You might look at them as a sort of Will Oldham (also known as Bonnie "Prince" Billy) with the Decemberists' flare for the dramatic. What is almost certain, however, is that most of us have never quite heard anything like this band - and that's a very good thing.



"at the moment. . ." is at once more mature and more epic in sound than its predecessor. Anyone with whom the sweeping yet heartwarming track "Ara batur" on Sigur Ros's latest LP particularly resonated will have plenty of tracks to keep busy with here, yet for the uninitiated, it might seem like a bit much to take in, especially while adjusting to the band's unique sound and Chris Eaton's warbling voice. However, it could be this new combination that holds the whole thing together.



Speaking of Chris Eaton, one thing you should know is that he has published two novels, and, as a result, his lyrics are actually quite literary. "Are We Not Horses", the band's previous album, was even taught in at least one university's contemporary fiction course. I've not read the novels so I cannot speak for them, but if Eaton brings the literary ammo (which he certainly does), his band brings it all to stunning life. The music in this album achieves in 60 minutes an emotional level your favorite novel takes hundreds of pages to accomplish, with highs and lows more frequent, sudden, and intense.



The album begins with "Oh I Can", easing you into its world with a growing, almost tribal drumbeat. Suddenly, hiding among the ambient noise, a deceptively simple bassline creeps up behind you. The album almost acknowledges to its listeners that yes, we know this is all new to you, but we'll be gentle. The song's incantation "Oh I can, oh I can" begins to dance around a fire that's not quite keeping you warm on a cool September night camping. The horns hit - and the whole mix begins to make sense. Its follow-up, A Mule on Fire, gives you a moment to take in precisely what you've just heard. By the end of the first two songs, you're ready for more.



By the time "Country C" begins, you start to wonder when the letdown is coming - it has to, right? Not yet. The album reasserts itself with the intricate, rich harmonies and calming banjo ushering out "Them That Are Good and Them That Are Bad", which yields to the playful 3 minute thirty-five second crescendo that is "The Wrong Side of the Right".



Believe it or not, the only time I believe they faltered on this one is by closing with "The Hot Blind Earth", the closest we may ever come to hearing Rock Plaza Central playing actual. . . well, ROCK music. At least, they tried using an electric guitar. You may judge the result. My opinion is that the track would have been better suited tucked away in the conspicuously absent third-quarter no-man's-land from which many albums so often suffer, or better yet, been left off the track list altogether.



So there you have it - Rock Plaza Central, one of the more unique bands you're apt to hear today, digs their heels into the footing they created in "Are We Not Horses", all the while acknowledging that yes, it's a small world, but what a vast, and awe-inspiring one it can be. The result can be overwhelming at times, but its rewards are well worth the ride."