Review Text
CLARITY, the third album from Sons of Nothing, forges a more solid musical identity for the band than previous releases. Though still a collection of varied moods and modes, it represents a major tightening of SoN's notoriously eclectic sound. Unlike the One Left Turn EP, which had been recorded over a short period in a conventional studio, the sounds of CLARITY were captured by SoN's own recording gear and utilizing a more flexible timetable. The band members shared production and songwriting credit and fluidly swapped vocal and instrumental performances, building the synergy of every new track from the ground up. The rewards of such an approach can be heard in how comfortably the album's diverse musical threads are woven together. From the haunting orchestrations of 'Death Or Something Like It' to the frenetic twists and turns of 'Positively Evil,' from to the surreal electronica of 'Juneau' to the guitar-hero grind of 'Mr Serious,' a cohesive musical journey unfolds. The sonic wanderlust is also tied together by the album's lyrical themes, which combine differing moments of clarity (the jubilation of 'Snapshot,' the seething of 'W04,' the existentialism of 'Solitary World') with commentary on the search for such moments ('Saving Grace,' the yearning title track) and the price that is sometimes paid for achieving them (the mini-epic album closer 'Visiting Mussolini.') SoN always claimed to have an album-oriented perspective, and CLARITY provides the proof. +++++++++++++++++++++++++ 'Original flights of spacey prog-pop.' -Bill Frost, Salt Lake City Weekly 'A perfect mix between melodic rock of the classic kind and progressive rock.' -Gabor Fabian, Strutter Magazine 'It's like Marillion and Guided by Voices jamming in Syd Barrett's basement after listening to the Rush catalog.' -Tommy Hash, YtseJam 'Varied and theatrical songs...dark and brooding, but with a glimmer of hope. SoN have taken their influences and modernized them to fit their own experience and personalities.' -Andrew Glassett, SLUG Magazine.
