cave in

antenna

‘All right – it is generally unacceptable to write in the first person, as far as the world of journalism is concerned. Such neophyte amateurism is to be left for Kinko’s copied ‘zines.

I realize that, but I have a confession to make.

Although it is a blasphemous statement, I never liked Cave In. Their early hardcore material was decent but unimpressive. Songs like “Burning Down the Billboards” were novel but generic. Even “Jupiter,” the quintessential space rock album of the past few years, did little for me. Don’t get me wrong, it was good, but the songs were too damned long. My attention span was way too short to take the anthem epics in.

So, what made Cave In so likeable all of the sudden?

Of course, the perks of signing to a major label may have helped to round out and refine the band’s sound. It does not stop there, though. They took the formula that made “Jupiter” such a hit and divided by two. The answer to this equation ended up being shorter songs with just as much impact. It’s the compact version of “Jupiter.” There may not be enough room to stretch your feet during songs, but the ride is so short that you find yourself doubling back and wanting to start all over again.

With the exception of “Seafrost,” the album’s halfway point that weighs in at a hefty 8:59, the average length of the songs is about four minutes, a much more handy length with which to attract listeners.

In spirit, this album is reminiscent of Hum and they have been headed in that direction since the release of their EP “Creative Eclipses.” A good deal of influence for the change in the band’s sound is credited to the delicately interwoven melodies of My Bloody Valentine guitarists Kevin Shields and Bilinda Butcher. Upon first listen, their guitar progressions seem like the superficial drones of bland indie rock progressions, but at heart they are well worked out and perfectly balanced symmetrical riffs. The influence from MBV has helped to completely alter the path that Cave In was on.

Although the band caught backlash from fans for putting out their first non-metal album, if this is what “selling out” to a major label did, more power to them. Next to the boisterous David Grohl endorsements, this was the best thing that could have happened to Cave In.