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Written
by Raymond Burris, posted by blog admin
The
second full length release from Ann Arbor’s Black Note Graffiti, Volume 2:
Without Nothing I’m You, is an eleven song collection that positions this
(then) four piece to rise several more notches in the world of indie rock. The
band, furthermore, crackles with the potential to take their act far outside
the warm but relatively narrow confines of the indie scene. Rock and its
musical progeny may swim upstream commercially in our modern music world, but
what that means is that the limited room for viable acts culls the fat off the
genre and those who boast marquee status truly deserve it. The band’s talents
are considerable – musically, vocally, and lyrically. The growth they’ve exhibited
since their 2013 debut is surely the result of the inherent talent they’re
dealing with, but it’s surely the result of the band’s extensive live
appearances since the first release. Everything about this band smacks of an
unit committed to sticking around for decades and they unquestionably have the
talent to back it up.
They
certainly come across like an outfit committed to delivering the goods with the
first track “No Love Lost”. This is bludgeoning, unsentimental hard rock with a
metal-like growl, but there’s melodicism present in Ricardo Ortiz’s voice that
somehow keeps the band from ever sounding totally metal. It’s difficult to
describe exactly, but it’s where the band’s alternative rock influences come
into play and the second track “Such is Art” only underlines that. There’s no
question that Black Note Graffiti produces music with a thick, fluid rhythm
section attack coupled alongside a hard charging guitar attack that flares with
frequent, but tasteful, lead flourishes. They focus their musical attack even
tighter on the next track “Castles” and the writing, three songs in, will
impress any attentive listener more and more. The arrangements on Volume 2 are
one of its most compelling elements. Some critics may say there’s nothing new
under the sun and, when it comes to rock music, they are likely right, but
Black Note Graffiti proves they are really talented at pouring old wine into
new bottles.
“False
Start” is another compelling arrangement and they make great hay out of the
interplay between drummer Kurt Keller and guitarists Kris Keller and Ortiz.
They have a sympathetic guitar sound that’s warm, but retains a jagged edge and
the lead work has a cutting quality too without ever risking over-indulgence. They
show their capacity for surprise on the song “Shadows” – it begins in a manner
quite unlike anything else on the album, but it doesn’t veer completely outside
the realm of familiarity for the band’s audience. The thinking that goes into
each of these songs are obvious, but they never sound belabored. Ortiz’s
emotive talents stand out more on “Why We Trust” and “Relapse” than they do on
many of the album’s other songs and the musical quality of each song, while
still heavy and hard-hitting, has a layer of intimacy that’s palpable from the
first/ The finale “Send Off” concludes Volume II in a ransacking, rowdy way
with an energetic guitar work and a drumming performance for the ages from Kurt
Keller. Black Note Graffiti are on point with each song and there isn’t a
single instance of filler found on the recording. They’ve put their best foot
forward with this release and it helps them stand out in their chosen style.
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