ALBUM REVIEW: Clockwise On Fire Release Their Debut Self Titled Record
ALBUM REVIEW: Clockwise On Fire Release Their Debut Self Titled Record
Clockwise on Fire has debuted their self-titled album and it delivers on what its namesake suggests — an experimental rush of fiery guitar riffs and bustling drums. Clockwise on Fire is the brainchild between two of longtime friends in Tim Arnold and Brian Lynch. Continuously their project proves to be a cocktail of genres, with the band delving into psychedelic rock, alternative rock, with even some traces of funk scattered throughout the record. Considering its list of styles, it would be safe to declare that the project is a departure into untreaded waters for the pair.
Clockwise on Fire draws on multiple musical influences and styles, offering a little bit of everything to its listeners. The album is fixated on constant experimentation, but that isn’t necessarily a bad space to occupy. If the album cover is suggestive of anything, it is that Clockwise’s musical experimentation is a creation act, and therefore, an act of liberation.
Perhaps the most captivating track on the album is its curtain-raiser. “Dig” is a prologue of sorts, akin to the one that prefaced Shakespeare’s famous play Romeo & Juliet. The record begins with light drum tapping and upbeat clapping before carrying itself into its catchy hook, “If you want, you can dig a grave for my love.” The song explores letting go of love for the sake of moving on, for both the heartbreaker and the heartbroken. “Dig” easily stands on its own, and as Tim points out, “I think that informed the rest of the record and gave us the juice we needed to really go for it. It’s funny because all of the songs really sound different and there is no ‘Dig part 2′ on the album. It was just that energy of both of us getting excited about something working that expanded out to the rest of the tracks. I think the one cohesive element besides it being the same two people on every track is that we had a blast making each and every song.”
“Fishing in the Dark,” continues along the path of experiment and adventure from the duo. The opening minute is an escalation of tension in its menacing guitar riff, creating a wild auditory space. Whereas, “What Will You Forget” could be a theme song for a video game in which the antagonist is an evil ringmaster that oversees a wicked house of horrors. The song has its fair share of aimless screaming and quirky guitar parts, enough to transport you to another world.
As we gear up for the conclusion for this whirlwind record, “Turtle” is anything but what its title might suggests. This rapid fire contribution by Clockwise on Fire that is more vocally emphatic and pronounced — comparing profound sadness to carousels, an emotion that can be consuming and leave a sense of loneliness. “Turtle” as a whole becomes a clever metaphor for seemingly endless anguish, the ride that doesn’t have a particular endpoint.
Ending this self titled project on “Latework” and “Trapped,” it’s evident this record will surely take you for a ride. “Latework” is a refreshing contrast to its preceding track; a little more dance-y, a little more upbeat rock. “Feel like I’m letting go again /Who we are and now we’re living / Where we’ve been and where we’ve gone” is a fresh reprieve from the sinister undertones of the album, a break from the wacky sounds that scamper through the body of work. Whereas the album’s closer, “Trapped” leaves you wondering if the carnival world it has created has any emergency exits. The song lyrics seems to hint at the necessity of inner work, mentally and emotionally, that invariably will lead to finding some form of rescue and peace.
