by Abel Horwitz
Daily Lobo
In a musical world where originality is shunned and people still think Eminem is the next Elvis, some of us are almost salivating for something different.
We need a band deeper underground, one that's invisible on the radar of the mainstream. We need a band like 31Knots.
It's rare to find a band this strongly independent, this strikingly intelligent and this original. It's rare to find a band that's more concerned about playing a good gig than looking pretty in music videos.
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The Portland trio 31Knots "strives for originality," as guitarist Joe Haege puts it. This is a band that refuses to be categorized. This is a band that looks for something no one has ever heard before.
On its latest album, a word is also a picture of a word, it does just that. Blending piano with electronica, its first track, "Preface," doesn't set the tone for the album and it doesn't give clues as to how the rest of the songs will play out. Instead, a word is also a picture of a word begins by disorienting the listener with a confusing opener. At first it appears, the band is doing nothing more than messing with your head.
That's the best thing about a word is also a picture of a word - on first listen it's incredibly hard to get into and it's really hard to understand. Though this is not usually the case, that's a good thing.
Think of it as a movie with a surprise ending. Initially, the film is confusing and hard to follow. But after several viewings the movie gets good, it starts to make sense and soon enough it's become one of your favorites. Honestly, did you understand "The Usual Suspects" the first time you saw it?
If you only listen to the CD once, you'll probably hate it. That's a fair reaction because it's not going to be like anything you're used to hearing.
Pick it up a few days later, though, and it makes sense.
That sound that you had so much trouble explaining, the gorgeous artwork that seemed to be the only redeeming quality of an otherwise worthless purchase becomes another part of the masterpiece. The album is brilliant, it's fascinating and an interesting listen. Most importantly, it's intelligent.
31Knots' a word is also a picture of a word is a must-have album. Not because it'll make you look cool to say you knew who they were before they were trendy, but because it's a disc that deserves to be discovered.
It's a hard album to digest, but once it's down, it's impossible to overlook the talent pouring out of your speakers.
