- Release Info -------------------------------------------------------------- - Artist: Owls Album: Two Label: Polyvinyl Records Playtime: 38:56 min Genre: Indie URL: http://owlschicago.com/ Rip date: 2014-03-30 Street date: 2014-03-25 Size: 70.06 MB Type: Normal Quality: 239 kbps / 4410Hz / Joint Stereo - Release Notes ------------------------------------------------------------- - Even for the most casual listener, being a fan of Owls has been a long and arduous journey. Two is the bandÆs second album in 13 years under their current moniker. Prior to the formation of Owls, band members Tim Kinsella, Mike Kinsella, Victor Villarreal and Sam Zurick created the emo-punk band, CapÆn Jazz. CapÆn Jazz disbanded in the late 1990s, and the band members created such acts as The Promise Ring, Make Believe and Joan Of Arc. After a CapÆn Jazz reunion tour in 2010, the band began to discuss recording another Owls album. Slowly but surely, here we are four years later with Two. The album begins with Four Works Of Artà (every track title has ellipsis) and features a little over a minuteÆs worth of expert guitar work. The track is eerie and slow moving, with the vocals working as an almost call and response. A noticeable change in OwlsÆ music comes from the lyrics and Tim KinsellaÆs ability to sing them. Kinsella sounds more confident than ever before. He hits high notes with better clarity. When reflecting on the lyrics and even just the track titles themselves, it seems Kinsella may be realizing that he has grown up. He shows a sense of maturity in songs like IÆm Surprisedà: ôIÆm surprised and I admit it/IÆm surprised itÆs true/to have grown up/to become/ItÆs a man that worries his friends.ö It shows a more burdened version of Owls that was not really present in their first album, Owls (Jade Tree, 2001). There is also a lot more jamming going on in this record. But coming from this band, thatÆs very good news. They are experts at their craft, and this album allows them to flex those sonic muscles a bit. Mike Kinsella is an incredible drummer, and he shows it with his intuitiveness and willingness to sometimes let the drums take a backseat. Two presents a lot of extended, complex playing that only works because these dudes know what theyÆre doing and do it well as a team. Tracks like It Collects Itselfà and This Must Be Howà are prime examples of that chemistry. However, the issue on here is that not enough tracks combine both of these two, cool, newfound elementsùKinsellaÆs vocal and lyrical growth and the expert jamming that surfaces throughout. Alone they are great, but when they fuse together, itÆs sonic magic, as on A Drop Of Bloodà ItÆs a must-listen, but itÆs also the last song. There just arenÆt enough of those drops dropping on Two. - Track List ---------------------------------------------------------------- - 01. Four Works Of Art... ( 3:11) 02. I'm Surprised... ( 3:36) 03. The Lion... ( 2:44) 04. Why Oh Why... ( 3:35) 05. This Must Be How... ( 3:33) 06. Ancient Stars Seed... ( 4:46) 07. It Collects Itself... ( 5:42) 08. I'll Never Be... ( 3:33) 09. Oh No, Don't... ( 5:11) 10. A Drop Of Blood... ( 3:05) - --------------------------------------------------------------------------- -