You’re as cold as the drink in your hand now
Knots by Crash of Rhinos
So when something like Knots happens, I tend to sit on my couch, lean back and think. I think about moments passed, about what will be, what won’t be and what could be. My eyes wander around my flat. I see my vinyl collection, I see my guitar and that itch in my fingers. I stare through the window. Is it raining? Is it sunny outside? I light a cigarette, maybe grab a cold beer from the fridge, open it, take a sip. I spent hours in the taillights, chasing highways through my mind. I can’t think of a better description of what is going on than the words used by Chris Wicky.
An album should always take you in. It should always take you on a journey. Good music will always evoke images. Great albums connect with your inner self. It is always very subjective and highly personal. So don’t be afraid to tell me you disagree. But the second full length by Derby based A Crash of Rhinos is doing everything right. I’ve been looking forward to this record since listening to their great debut. I’ve posted about them on Facebook before and it hasn’t disappointed me at all. More so, it’s better than I could have wished.
Every song is a racket. This album is euphoria, pain, joy, sadness, hope and tragedy all mixed into one. It reminds me of how happy, how sad or how drunk I was in the past year. It reminds me of all the shit I’ve been through and then again, about how good some of the things were. The best thing about it is, though, that it doesn’t matter if it’s raining or if it’s boiling outside. You are left with such a positive feeling and sense of ’now-or-never‘ that the album feels like your best friend. It’s like a pad on your back when you need it most. It’s the friend that listens to you and gives you the best advice. It’s the slap in the face you need to wake up from your self-inflicted misery. And my word, I just want to embrace these guys and say thank you for this. Knots is a special record for me already. And it doesn’t wear down. I’ve been constantly listening to the album for the past few weeks. There are very few albums that I can listen to no matter what time of the day, no matter what mood I’m in. Fuel for the Hate Game by Hot Water Music is one of them. Knots isn’t there yet. But is aspiring to get there.
If you don’t believe me by now. If you haven’t pressed the play button and have no idea what I’m talking about, it’s time! Just think of brilliant drumming, vocals that range from quiet to soaring, rough harmonies. The guitar work is brilliant. No matter if they pluck single-note melodies or build distorted walls of sound. And the bass – well since Jason Black there hasn’t been better fretwork than here. It just all sits perfectly balanced in a great mix. The production is perfect in every aspect. Not too rough, not too clean or dense. These songs breathe. And they take me somewhere I will want to go back to.
You can order a physical copy via Topshelf Records in the US here.
In the UK and Europe you should order it via Big Scary Monsters here.
