Ages And Ages - Something To Ruin '2016

Tracks list

A band started by Tim Perry with the purpose of making uplifting music with
sunny harmonies, Ages and Ages succeeded in doing just that on their 2011 debut.
They managed to duplicate the tone on their sophomore outing, despite its being
marked by darker, more philosophical lyrics motivated by personal loss. Ages and
Ages face a similar challenge on Something to Ruin, an album set against a
backdrop of corporatization, gentrification, and exploding real estate prices in
their base of Portland. With membership (11 credited here) spread across the
Pacific Northwest, its a relatable topic for those in many other cities, big and
small, at the time of its release. The gravity is even captured on cover art
that shows elephants roaming the streets of a city in dystopian ruin. Can the
music possibly be peppy, especially with titles like Kick Me Out and Im Moving
among the track list? While the lyrics arent always optimistic, Ages and Ages
rustic indie pop does deliver on their mission, if its a bit tempered by a
somber reality. The opening track, They Want More, brings this quality to its
lively strummed guitar, tambourine and drums, and sweet group harmonies, all
supporting a melody fit for a singalong. Still, that melody delivers the
somewhat ominous They want more than what you got left/And they want more than
what you wanna give/And you cant fake the feelings you get/And you cant escape
it anymore. The message is brighter on So Hazy, a melodic rap and group chorale
about muddled thoughts that features Modest Mouses Isaac Brock. (The album was
recorded in his studio in Portland.) If, on average, the albums enthusiasm is
muted, its still stacked with infectious melodies, warmth, and Perrys engaging
songcraft. The trippier As It Is closes the album on a hopeful note: Youre gonna
find your peace and anonymity. Though Something to Ruin may not be an escapist
work, it does deliver feel-good tunes with substance, and that may prove to be
even more of a comfort.

Tracklist:
 01. Ages And Ages - They Want More (04:42)
 02. Ages And Ages - Kick Me Out (03:44)
 03. Ages And Ages - Something To Ruin (04:19)
 04. Ages And Ages - So Hazy (03:19)
 05. Ages And Ages - My Cold Reflection (03:17)
 06. Ages And Ages - All of My Enemies (02:05)
 07. Ages And Ages - Cascadia Waving Back (03:48)
 08. Ages And Ages - Im Moving (03:34)
 09. Ages And Ages - Now I Know (03:21)
 10. Ages And Ages - Caught Up In It (04:52)
 11. Ages And Ages - As It Is (03:26)

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