2013-12-04 4:21:06 ¶ ●

RATING: 10 / 13 – uuuuuuNGH. OH *MERRRCY*. THAT IS JuST. SOO. GRODY.

Cherubim is the most recent theme album (the most recent album of all, as a matter of fact) released officially. It’s built in pairs: the odd numbered songs (except for the last) are cheery, while the even numbered ones are dark and aggressive. Each pair is built from the same basic musical idea: each with its own take.

The album flirts with a saccharine, syrupy motif, but never really commits to it. The pizzicato strings, the cackling fancy santa… that’s just window dressing, just establishing the setting. No, the underlying theme is relentless, naive optimism against an unstoppable lust for power.

The production and editing is fantastic. Coming off of Alternia and Midnight Crew: Drawing Dead in my last few reviews, my appreciation for the intrinsic quality of this album is only greater than before. Everything’s been polished to a mirror sheen. All of the instrumentation is natural and, to my ear, may as well have been played by a live musician (except, of course, for the dedicated synth instruments).

Parts of the album nudge a little towards the experimental side, and it’s a tad soft in the middle, but overall this is a great themed compilation.

Click here for individual song reviews for Cherubim.

2013-12-08 4:20:00 ¶ ●

RATING: 7 / 13 – A bit tender for my liking.

Genre varies wildly in the Homestuck catalog, from clean, simple chiptune tracks to epic, solid walls of sound. Sburb strips the music down to its barest.

There aren’t monster hooks or hits to be found. But that’s not what the album’s all about. Of all the compositions released in the library, this is the most cohesive, the one that works best as a single movement. It’s a professional, original recital. And it’s terribly intimate. No booming bass, no complex synth beat-box rhythms. Just one piano.

Usually when I rate music, I listen through once, mark off the songs I like in particular, then put it on continuous play for a while to better shape my opinion. I’ve listened to the album many times, and I find myself lost in the singular 30-minute arrangement each time. There’s no duds, no masterstrokes. Just a fine collection of piano music.

Click here for individual song reviews for Sburb.

2013-12-13 4:02:00 ¶ ●

RATING: 10 / 13 – Virtually Ensconced In The Fold Of My Personal Mythology

The best (yet woefully inadequate) short description I can come up for it is this: it’s a professional, symphonic ‘Pops’ treatment for a few well-chosen Homestuck hits. It’s a bit on the short side, and the 'bang for the buck’ is a little steep compared to some of the other Homestuck solo albums (though still quite competitive with your typical digital music release).

My favorite part of this album is its subtlety, its nuance. Plazmataz has an entire symphony orchestra to work with. Yet you have moments like the intro to II - Sarabande, where the string section starts out almost sub-audibly, slowly rising for a full minute, right into the cello solo. His talent with the strings, in particular, is impressive.

Click here for individual song reviews for Symphony Impossible to Play.

2013-12-19 4:01:00 ¶ ●

RATING: 9 / 13 – reminds me mUch of home. so peacefUl

Well, Calliope might think that this album is peaceful, but that’s probably only because she grew up on the blasted ashes of Earth long after its demise.

Medium is the first solo album by Clark “Plazmataz” Powell. It’s primarily symphonic and atmospheric in tone. Many of the songs contrast a high, natural, treble melody against a deep, synthetic, industrial background.

And there’s a lot of ambient effects and sound scattered throughout. It’s very professionally done: always to enhance a track, never to overwhelm it. The effects bounce between natural (rolling waves from Light, showers from Rain) and otherworldly (the quasi-industrial synth noises from Heat, the main melody from Clockwork).

Given the album’s title, it does very well to set a mood, to describe each of the particular settings it targets. And as a bit of background music, it excels.

Click here for individual song reviews for Medium.

2013-12-28 4:02:46 ¶ ●

RATING: 4 / 13 – ………………….. :|

shit. lets be santa.

This is Homestuck for the Holidays. It follows the typical formula for a Christmas album, mashing holiday standards up with material from the Homestuck catalog. It’s a fun, goofy album. I wouldn’t recommend it as ambiance for your formal Christmas event, though: it’s packed full of intoxicated, queasy Squiddles, Sweet Bro and Hella Jeff, and a crusty old man narrator.

Once again, as an unofficial album, it is available free of charge (there’s a download link on MediaFire here). Before the album was released for free, all proceeds were for a charity. Please consider donating to Child’s Play if you like the album: you can find them here at http://www.childsplaycharity.org/.

Click here for individual song reviews for Homestuck for the Holidays.