Title: The Big Bang EP
Artist: Azoora
Released: 2008-12-07
Genre: Rock
Artist Country: UK
Label: 23 Seconds
Catalog Number: sec.025
License: CC BY-NC-ND
[Note: This recording was originally released on 23 Seconds as indicated above. However it has since been removed from the label. It is still available via Jamendo and CCTrax as indicated below.]
I originally had thought this was released a couple of months ago, but when I looked at the 23 Seconds website I found it had, in fact, been released nearly five years ago. However, that makes no difference at this point. Besides I probably confused The Big Bang with a newer release from this group I recently acquired.
In fact, if anything, the fact that this release has been around for five years and is still worthy of writing a review about says a lot for Azoora: this release is standing up to the test of time. Most pop / rock music is disposable and sounds old just a year after its release, There is a tendency for most popular music today to be more like a fashion trend than an enduring art form.
Azoora stands apart in this regard. The core duo of Paul Loader and John Purcell have written and arranged a dark, dense set of songs that make you want to dance through the abyss. The sound is like finding your own isolated corner of the galaxy where you can watch the big bang in all it’s glory.
Lyrically, the lyrics have a very personal feeling. Like being given glimpses into the thoughts and experiences of John Purcell. However, those thoughts and perceptions have been thrown into the blender and painted across the stars of the night sky. A lyrical manifestation of Starry Night.
It all becomes a type of psychedelic journey into an unimaginable realm.
The interesting part about this release is that there is another artistic expression contained within it. The six tracks represented on this release are based on three songs, each of them performed twice in different settings. Azoora, in this way, chooses to expose in a somewhat limited way to the inner workings of the group. Many artists have released alternate versions or takes of a given song. But typically its years between the first release, and the release of the alternate versions. Azoora has instead chosen to show listeners from the beginning that any piece of music, like any artistic work, can be interpreted in multiple ways from the beginning.
All of this adds up to a release that shouldn’t be overlooked by anyone. It’s a dark space, but it’s a wide-open space that offers endless possibilities for the listener to see, hear and interpret their music in many different ways.
Azoora: The Big Bang EP
Free
8.5
