Heston Rifle - What To Do At Time Of Accident Review
Posted by Tim Johnson on 10.17.2005
What to Write at Time of Review
Bill Oxios - Guitar
Brian Gallagher – Guitar
Jerry Chierchio – Bass
Vicki Pilato – Violin
Phillip Kennedy – Drums
Heston Rifle’s “What to do at Time of Accident” is an entirely instrumental CD.
Quick, what are you thinking?
Are you imagining classical pianos supported by the soft undertones of cellos, oboes, and tympanis?
Or maybe, are you thinking about a bunch of synthesizers and some guy with 80’s hair making his guitar sound like an angry bee?
When I hear “entirely instrumental CD,” those are the first images that pop into my head.
Well, they were.
Heston Rifle manages to put together a compilation of music that’s progressive and intricate, but at the same time, listenable. And in doing so, they avoid some common mistakes made by others who’ve attempted the same feat.
“What to do at Time of Accident” contains six tracks and weighs in at just under an hour. While each track is entirely different, the common underlying theme is the same.
The rhythm progression is generally repetitive and ranges from dark and intense, to upbeat and inspiring. The chord work and song structures are mostly traditional, though drastic timing changes are intermixed throughout the album.
The music is not really as “experimental” as it is “different.”
For example, at times a melodic frame of music will unexpectedly end in driving noise. While this is uncommon under most circumstances, it really works here.
That’s not to say all of the music on the CD is a complete departure from the norm. In fact, (albeit unintentionally) a portion of the second track sounds exactly like the intro to KISS’ “Love Gun,” of all things.
The musicianship is excellent, which is something you’d hope for in an instrumental release. The drumming particularly shines. Typically, percussion is used to perpetuate the flow of a song. Here, the drums stand out as an independent instrument as equal as any other.
The album’s showcase song comes four tracks in with, “a string of dead words.” It’s a powerful blend of sound that builds slowly and culminates in a tense, dramatic finish.
The main problem with instrumental music is that it’s easy for people to lose interest. Heston Rifle avoids this by condensing the CD into six tracks and mixing up the flow of each one. The only time the album seems to stray in the wrong direction is on the last track, “bill vs. the radio edit.”
This track is basically two songs combined, divided by several minutes of feedback you might hear when an arena rock band goes offstage before the encore.
Judging by the title of the song, the extended delay was likely intended as irony, but it doesn’t fit with the overall flow of the rest of the CD. Especially since both musical portions of the song are very good.
Other than that minor setback, if you’re looking for an alternative to the radio friendly market, this is a great disc to add to your collection.
Track List
devices to transcend dreaming
can you guess how much that guy weighs
sarnand
a string of dead words
tris babollsa
bill vs. the radio edit
“What to do at Time of Accident” is available October 18th. For tour dates, and further information on the band, check out HestonRifle.com.
The 411: Heston Rifle succeeds in getting their point across without lyrics. “What to do at Time of Accident” is a CD that can be enjoyed by both the casual listener and the critical musician. Quite possibly the instrumental album of 2005.
