"Krill, Krill, Krill forever..." Whether exchanged in passing with friends or screamed in a crowd of a few hundred people at a dumpy bar, these words and this band are an icon among the Boston music scene. When the band announced it's breakup in September this year (about a week after I moved here) there was a sense of mourning among the music kids here. At almost every show I went to I heard conversations about Krill: stories of past shows they had been to, how great the guys in the band were, and friends lamenting that they had only a handful more shows to play. Luckily, I got here just in time and got to see them twice on their last run of shows, but there was still a sense that I had missed the chance to participate in the most special part of the community built around Krill.
At their last show they ended with "Theme from Krill", which at first I thought was pretty ironic, but then I realized it was actually more fitting than ironic. They never meant "Krill forever". They always knew this band was a temporary thing, but much like college and youth in general, we go into it with a mentality of immortality and act like everything we build will last forever when, in reality, we know deep down people will move away and lives will go on. "Krill forever" doesn't mean that Krill would or should last forever, but that projects and relationships should be treated as something so important it will last forever and that, if done right, these things will live forever in the memories of the people who were there to witness how special they were.
So anyway, you probably don't care about college kids in sweaty bars in Boston, but this is your peak into the scene. You may have heard their album from this year, A Distant Fist Unclenching, because it got a lot more popular than this one, but this one is much better, trust me. Krill and Pile are probably the best examples of what everyone is making here and if you want to hear more let me know because there's a lot of cool stuff happening here. The lyrics in this album are also very much a representation of the college experience. Social awkwardness, insecurities, inability to stay out of trouble, the fight against injustice, seeking people who understand you. It makes me nostalgic for a time I haven't even really had yet and I love it. Enjoy.
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I'm going to be brutally honest. I kind of wanted to see what other's had to say before I jumped in here and wrote my opinion... but it seems like I ended up being the first to post.
ReplyDeleteI have to say I really enjoyed your write up for this album. Although it seems the album has sentimental value to you, I don't think I have the same attachment to it, and it fails for me because of that. I didn't really feel any sort of emotion when listening to it. However, clearly Krill has touched many, such as yourself, and the Bostonians you have written about.
I agree that this album sounds like an archetypal college experience; it has highs, lows, and the lyrics touch on all the topics you mentioned.
You're going to hate me for saying this, but the outro to Infinite Power made me laugh a little bit. Something about the way he screams "If you want to feel like a failure" got me. It just surprised me. I know that was probably not the intention, but that's basically the only time I felt something from listening to this album.
I apologize for not being completely able to critically assess this album, but I wanted to be honest and say that I just wasn't feeling it. That's not the artist's fault, nor is it yours for choosing the album, but it's most likely mine for not being as well-versed in this area of music. I know there are people out there that can appreciate this music, and obviously you're one of them (I don't mean that in a condescending way!)
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first sat down to listen to this album. From a pure instrumentation aspect, I enjoyed it a lot. The drumming is fantastic, and I feel is the focal point of this record. The tracks that I enjoyed the most (Never a Joke, This Morning, and Purity of Heart) featured great variation in the drums that stood out for me in a good way.
ReplyDeleteThis albums downfalls for me are the lead singer’s vocals and the lack of diversity in the tracks. The vocals are just a matter of taste, I’ve never been a fan of this style of singing so it can be difficult for me to get past. I have a general hard time trying to connect with what the singer is saying because of his voice so I wasn’t really able to get much out of the lyrics and exactly what the album’s themes were.
The lack of diversity was kind of disappointing for me. Other than the three tracks I listed above, I wasn’t particularly moved by any other songs and I think it’s because they all sound quite similar to me. The bonus track Peanut Butter stands out because of its different baseline, but the chorus seemed a bit too messy for me. When I first listened to the album, I was hoping there would be something more mellow or not as intense. I would be interested in hearing how the lead singer would handle a song thats not so heavy on the instrumentation and reverb.
I think this all just boiled down to a matter of taste for me. I can’t say it’s a bad album because I’m sure it fits other people’s tastes. I just wasn’t able to take that much away from it. I was able to appreciate This Morning the most because of how different it sounded in the midst of all the other tracks. Can’t say I’ll come back to this album in the near future, but as always being introduced to different sounds is my favorite aspect of what we’re doing here!
This past week has been super busy for me so I didn't get to absorb this as much as I would have liked. Keep that in mind with the rest of my thoughts.
ReplyDeleteThis album didn't do much for me if i'm being honest. Rarely did i feel pulled into the album and I think that has a lot to do with two things. One, the songs feel pretty similar to one another and few of the hooks really grabbed me.
Weirdly, the first song and the final bonus song are the ones i liked best. The chorus on Theme from Krill was definitely stuck in my head for a couple of days. Peanut Butter was a song that felt like it had the most excitement to it.
Two, this album has a bleak sound to it which isn't so much of a criticism on my part as much as its just something i'm not looking for in music right now in my life. I think Oppressor showcases this second point the best. Being both complacent and miserable is something I think a lot of people can connect too, and in this song those feelings are cranked up to a level that reminds me of someone dealing with depression. Again, I can see this mood being very powerful for some, including myself at times, but it's a mood i'm not wanting to listen to right now.
I think I would say that i'm very neutral on this album. I think this not really being a style i'm into combined with bad timing has brought it down for me.
P.S. Does the singer's voice remind anyone else of another indie band? If it does, please tell me which band it is because it's driving me nuts.
Ought?
DeleteWhen Lucky Leaves was first offered up on Bandcamp (https://wheretheresakrilltheresaway.bandcamp.com/album/lucky-leaves), Krill offered an unconventional way to purchase the album: for an amount of money I can't seem to remember, you could receive a USB stuck stuffed into a piece of fresh buffalo mozzerella containing Lucky Leaves on it. And such describes Krill: a bunch of loveable weirdos.
ReplyDeleteI've listened to this album many, many times. Lucky Leaves is such a fantastic album, and I have lots of personal connections with it - my friend Luke was the drummer on this one (he's the drummer for Frankie Cosmos now), and my brother recorded it. I remember seeing Krill and Ava Luna play a show at New College in Sarasota. It was totally awesome. Now, Krill are no more, but I think they went out on a really high note and that's cool to see.
I'm not surprised that this album is divisive amongst this group. I think that having seem them live and/or knowing what they are like causes people to feel attached. That's why the entire Boston music scene is obsessed with Krill, but I don't imagine they have much of a fan base outside of the Northeast.
For the record, my favorite songs: Theme, Never a Joke, Purity of Heart, and Oppressor.
Krill is an interesting band. They are ostentatious, quirky, and energetic. While I don't have the same connection you or Sam have for them (and you know my feelings about Boston), I still appreciate what they are. They knew this was a project with a shelf life, yet leads off the album with a song that screams "Krill forever", they had a song called "Turd", and they have a singer with such a seemingly grating voice it can turn anyway even the most forgiving music fans. Despite this, they carved out their place in the local music scene and found their spot in the indie-sphere too.
ReplyDeleteThere is a fervent energy to this album. The warbling and nearly dissonant vocals pair with equally bleak lyrics over top of tightly wound instrumentation. I do feel as though there is not enough range or difference in the songs. While it might make for a high energy and fun live show, it makes my interest come and go while listening at home.
I enjoyed this album for sure. Non traditional vocals are something I enjoy as well as intense lyricism. I do feel like this band has a very similar formula as Ought, whom I prefer. They have stronger melodies in my opinion, which is a major make or break for me. On this one though, favorite tracks were : Sick Dogs, Theme From Krill, and Oppressor.