Third International Is Back!
Formed by Andrew Pearson in 2010 the band earned a reputation for creative musicianship and an individual style, encompassing may genres, from pop to blues to alternative to psychedelic, techno, groove……..the list goes on. But as many a reviewer has said, to try to pin down the band is to sell it short. It is much more than any one style. It operates on many levels, creating soundscapes within songs to support a provocative lyrical style that demands attention. The instrumentation is complex for a three piece, involving loops, sampling, Maschine studio beats, guitar synthesizers….all melded to produce a cohesive musical palatte.It is, as Owsley said, The Nowness of Now.
First up Track 1 “Helix” serves up an enticing rhythm guitar groove meshed against hypnotic rhythm section and mesmerizing vocal melody from Pearson. This intro track sets the tone rather well for an unpredictable yet Psychedelic/progressive CD like this – I especially like the musical build to this track. Track 2 “Lay Down” shifts gears a bit with its methodical intro that gradually builds into a passionate yet psychedelic rock statement complete with impassioned vocal presence and a dynamic musical flow that is borderline brilliant. Track 3 “Do It Over” serves up yet another superb track with thought provoking lyrical content that flows and ebbs its way through to emotional fruition. As these songs slowly unfolded I could hear many musical influences reminiscent of classic. King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Roger Waters, Peter Gabriel, David Bowie, Moby, Radiohead, Rush, Porcupine Tree. I would classify this music as Progressive Ambient Alternative Rock, with a slight aftertaste of Progressive and Psychedelic musical ambience that is unpredictable and highly entertaining. The songs themselves are addictive, eccentric, fascinating, and very interesting – all reflections of Pearson. One can’t notice intellectual, passionate and powerful subject matter delivered between the spoken word, with a heavy dose of raw truth and bi-polar vocal emotion. The musicianship and sampling touches from Pearson are rock solid across the board. Pearson showcases some rock solid production instants throughout. Besides the 4 piece standard you will also notice things like thick low end beats and rhythms, impressive sampling, synthetic sound effects, a few melodic guitar solos, sporadic electronic percussive accents meshed against lush harmonies. Pearson is an accomplished vocalist, composer, producer, arranger within his own right and he is no doubt the musical mastermind behind Third International. He’s not a bad vocalist. Pearson has amazing touch, power, control and intensity throughout. Equally as impressive is the how he makes each song his own making a distinct and strong (singer to listener) vocal connection. Pearson has an appealing timber and crisp, sharp baritone and takes many impressive vocal risks throughout each song. I suspect he has spent some time in England as he sounds like he has a British accent. His voice sounds in the vein of Chris de Burgh, Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) and Adrian Belew (King Crimson) to David Bowie. The songs themselves are reckless, progressive and packed to the hilt with raw intensity and lyrical content straight from the neurotic psyche. Pearson’s vocal style works with respect to this style of music with its stereotypical jagged edge delivery. The music is a little dangerous and not overcompensating in its stature. What I like most about the music is its even keeled intensity, high end intellectualism and strong consistency. All songs are in the extended play format typical of Progressive Rock. Despite this all pieces run their natural course and never feel too winded, never too long. All engineering aspects check out. CD possesses solid low end punch and crystal clear high end clarity. To striking “Lay Down” to hypnotic “Do it Over” to grooving “Barograph” to methodical “Master Strange” to heartfelt “Never Would Have Brought You Flowers” to dark and foreboding “Chemical Eyes” to thought provoking “Liar” this CD has something for just about everyone. CD ends with Track 11 “Formaldehyde” the perfect finale statement for a CD like this.
Pearson surrounds himself with some impressive musicians including Szabolcs Szenasi (Drums, Sampling, Machine Patterns), Enrique Mancia (Bass), and Brian Battersby (Audio Sampling) and Andrew Pearson (vocals, guitar, Synth and Moog).
There is no indication within the liner notes who the Recording, Mixing, and Mastering Engineers were. This leads me to suspect all 3 Production stages were done by one individual. Typically to get the most out of your sound I recommend using 3 separate engineers for each phase of Production. Mix is barely above the bar for a DIY type production but there is room for improvement with respect to its high end clarity and solid low end frequency. All songs over 3:30 minutes tend to drag you to the finish line.
In close “Oblivion” by Third International is the best work they’ve put out yet. It’ a highly original, somewhat trippy, unpredictable and fascinating musical experience from start to finish. Although it’s primarily alt-rock based you never know what’s coming round the corner with this artist. The music is fresh and highly entertaining. Its strong suit – its amazing vocal presence and impressive songwriting finesse by this band led by Andrew Pearson. The songs are extremely melodic, passionate, and captivating and somewhat dark and unpredictable. All these songs have a ring of truth to them. Each song possesses a unique personality, flair, and signature groove. Third International by Andrew Pearson is a a surging musical project for many reasons armed with a brilliant perspective an amazing voice to inspire your vivid imagination. Need I say more?
Artist: The Third International
Album: Oblivion
Label: Independent Artist
Website: https://www.facebook.com/thethirdinternational/
Genre: Progressive Rock, Ambient Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Progressive Hard Rock
Sounds Like: King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Roger Waters, Peter Gabriel, David Bowie, Moby, Radiohead, Rush, Porcupine Tree
Technical Grade: 9/10
Production/Musicianship Grade: 9/10
Commercial Value: 8/10
Overall Talent Level: 10/10
Songwriting Skills: 10/10
Performance Skill: 8/10
Best Songs: Barograph, Heix, Master Strange, Chemical Eyes
Weakness: Engineering Aspects, Winded Songs
Cyrus Rhodes