“Marching Stickmen”
A review of the Feed Me band’s debut album “Marching Stickmen”
They say don’t judge a book (or a cd) by it’s cover, but you can do exactly that with this album. The cd’s artwork describes this threesome’s sound better than any words will… but I’ll give it a go.
The Feed Me band is made up of three friends from Cairo: Nader Ahmed, Mohammed Ashraf and Ahmed Abdel Aziz. They released this, their debut album, in June 2009. “Marching Stickmen” is available to download for free off their My Space page so you’ve no excuse not to give it a go. These three musicians also play in the rock band Headcase, which has clearly had a big influence on their album. Their music meets at a halfway house between electronica and post-rock.
It really does do exactly what it says on the tin. It’s light and airy with sporadic, quick jabs of the dark and demonic. The fusion of two such distinct genres seems to pay off, leaving these three Egyptian men with a very unique sound of their own. The album itself, and each track within it, begins slow with one light layer which gradually builds in texture and tension.
The album is strictly instrumental and is made up of quite a lot of guitars, synths and samples. It’s very atmospheric and would possibly lend itself well to act as film music. The drum samples vary quite a lot in a few tracks however and can sometimes sound inconsistent but I guess this only adds to the album’s atmosphere and exploratory qualities.
This sound is not something I’d originally go for but it’s definitely growing on me. There’s a lot to be said for easy listening. I’m particularly liking the track “What We’re Stuck With”… very controversial! I say hands down to these guys. You have to have massive respect for anyone who steps out of the box and experiments with new sounds.
So, do I think we should all turn cannibalistic and fervently download and feed on “Marching Stickmen”? Hmmm… possibly not. It’s not for everyone but it’s great to hear something different for a change and you’ve nothing to loose.
Listen to Marching Stickmen
Rating: 8/10
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Great review Aine – you’ve inspired me to listen to more of these guys! Thanks! Lisa
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Nice!…