Progressive punk rock is, in a nutshell, the best way to describe the Party of Helicopters' luscious and fiery sound.
Picture Green Day without the mania and fronting a more angelic, smooth voice and you've got the PoH. Some have compared the band to My Bloody Valentine, but since the comparison is foreign, let's just stick to calling it a calm metal/punk kind of train wreck.
From the first song, "The Good Punk," it's clear that this band will never release a sing-along album. With all the strong guitars and drums, it's hard to tell exactly what lead singer Joe Dennis is singing about.
His voice is beautifully slithering, but it is almost just background noise and it's hard to register. The lyrical quantity is also questionable since all 10 songs, some of them over five-minutes long, share one page in the CD cover for their lyrics. But as they say, it's not quantity, but quality that counts and the lyrical quality on the album is absolutely poetic.
So yes, the sounds are progressive and Jamie Stillman's stunning and original guitar riffs could make a music nut whistle Dixie all day long. Well, not to this album of course. Still, it might be a little too much for the average music listener.
Some believe in the traditional formula of getting their whole musical experience served to them on a plate; easy to digest and recognize. They like the musical meat of catchy, easily understood lyrics; their potatoes made of guitar sounds that are predictable in a good way; and their cold refreshing Budweiser beer drums not abrasive, but comforting. Although it makes for an interesting listen to defy these expectations, it may not make for a favorite CD. That is unless you are not the average music consumer.
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If, in fact, this is the case, then the PoH's new album Please Believe It is something worth checking out. And you don't have to ask - the band makes their name the Party Of Helicopters believable. If you ever wondered just what a party of helicopters sounded like, buy this album. The sheer power that Stillman, Dennis, Cory Race on drums and Ryan Brannon on bass pour all over their audience is infallible for underground fans.
There is something to say about the band's originality. In 2000 its release, Mt. Forever was named as on of Spin magazine's top 20 records of the year. This was after only being together for five years. If that doesn't sell you punk/metal fans, then who knows what will.
Because this CD is so nuts and just listening to it at home makes for some crazy rocking out, please believe that seeing these guys in concert has to be amazing. Anyone who is brave enough to find out, can see them tonight at the Launchpad at 618 Central Ave.
