Riverside - Love, Fear and the Time Machine (2015) - Music Banter Music Banter

Go Back   Music Banter > The MB Reader > Album Reviews
Register Blogging Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read
Welcome to Music Banter Forum! Make sure to register - it's free and very quick! You have to register before you can post and participate in our discussions with over 70,000 other registered members. After you create your free account, you will be able to customize many options, you will have the full access to over 1,100,000 posts.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 01-29-2016, 09:31 AM   #1 (permalink)
Key
.
 
Key's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 13,153
Default Riverside - Love, Fear and the Time Machine (2015)


Riverside - Love, Fear and the Time Machine (2015)

You know when you listen to a band and you tell yourself that you absolutely have to check out their entire discography at some point, but then you never do because for some reason or another, the band just falls through the cracks of your skull and you forget about them? Well, that's happened with me and Riverside a lot in the past, and not for a very good reason. I'm a very forgetful person so don't blame me. Or blame me, I don't care.

Anyway, 2015 was probably the best year in music that we've had in a long time, and I mean better than 2012, which was also a great year. We saw releases from multiple, multiple people and bands that just blew anything else out of the water, and Riverside's "Love, Fear and The Time Machine" is absolutely no exception. If you've not heard Riverside before and you're curious as to how they sound, well I would suggest checking their EP first then move up, because as any other bands do, this band has also evolved into a sound that fits them and they do it better than most bands out there right now. But one album I would strongly suggest listening to to get a different feel from them is "Shrine of New Generation Slaves", which to me is a complete polar opposite to this album, which is a really neat thing to notice. Anyway, back to the album. This album is by far one of the smoothest and most chillingly relaxing progressive rock albums that has come out in the last year or so, and I love Riverside for going this route as opposed to going a heavier route. Don't get me wrong, I love the heavy side of Riverside a lot, but when they can sort of step back and dish out a more relaxed feel to their music, I feel that's really when they shine. Some of the best tracks on the album are "Addicted" and "Under The Pillow" but that's mostly because i'm a fan of catchy smooth progressive rock. The album as a whole is fantastic though and if you have a chance, you should just listen to the whole thing and form your opinion around it. You'll hear a big influence of Steven Wilson and Porcupine Tree throughout the album as well, and although some people consider that a bad thing, I certainly don't. Porcupine Tree is another band that has crafted the perfect line between being smooth and still being technical, so for Riverside to follow in their steps in one way or another is actually complimenting to both bands.

If you missed this release back when it was released, well here's your chance now to give it a listen because it's fantastic and deserve as much praise as it can get. I don't think there's really a bad track on the entire album. Mostly because when you listen to it, you'll fall into a deep state of consciousness that you've never felt before. The vocals are hauntingly good, the instrumentals behind the vocals are all on point. Every single member of the band has put their best foot forward and they all work like a well oiled machine. If this is a sound that is to come in the future, I can get behind this 100%. This is the type of stuff I love to hear from a band like this. Fantastic job, guys.
Key is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-29-2016, 09:34 AM   #2 (permalink)
.
 
grindy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: .
Posts: 7,201
Default

This is absolutely not my genre, but I've seen them live not long ago and apparently most of the songs were from this album. They are a great live band and it was some nice, catchy stuff.
__________________
A smell of petroleum prevails throughout.
grindy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-29-2016, 09:36 AM   #3 (permalink)
Key
.
 
Key's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 13,153
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by grindy View Post
This is absolutely not my genre, but I've seen them live not long ago and apparently most of the songs were from this album. They are a great live band and it was some nice, catchy stuff.
I hear they perform great live. You should give the album a chance if you're interested. It's not too difficult to get into if you're not into the genre.
Key is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-29-2016, 10:03 AM   #4 (permalink)
.
 
grindy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: .
Posts: 7,201
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ki View Post
I hear they perform great live. You should give the album a chance if you're interested. It's not too difficult to get into if you're not into the genre.
Definitely try to see them in concert. Great musicians and overall nice guys.

Already gave it a listen after I saw them.
I do absolutely love prog, but just not a fan of the neo-proggish/alternative-rockish variety. Too smooth for me.
__________________
A smell of petroleum prevails throughout.
grindy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-29-2016, 11:58 AM   #5 (permalink)
Toasted Poster
 
Chula Vista's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: SoCal by way of Boston
Posts: 11,332
Default

Thanks! I own everything they've put out. One of my fave bands on the planet these days. They have a great concert DVD.

Robot Check
__________________

“The fact that we live at the bottom of a deep gravity well,
on the surface of a gas covered planet going around a nuclear fireball 90 million miles away
and think this to be normal is obviously some indication of how skewed our perspective tends to be.”
Chula Vista is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-02-2016, 10:00 PM   #6 (permalink)
Because I Am, I Can!
 
CoNtrivedNiHilism's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,128
Default

I 'discovered' Riverside back in 2004 or so it was. I liked what I heard then but as you said in the OP, sometimes a band just falls through the figurative cracks in ones skull. So I'll be giving this new one a listen to working through their discography. Thanks for reminding me about this band.
__________________
CoNtrivedNiHilism is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-02-2016, 10:40 PM   #7 (permalink)
Toasted Poster
 
Chula Vista's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: SoCal by way of Boston
Posts: 11,332
Default

After a few listens not really digging it as much as their past stuff. That being said, it's still Riverside and I love it.
__________________

“The fact that we live at the bottom of a deep gravity well,
on the surface of a gas covered planet going around a nuclear fireball 90 million miles away
and think this to be normal is obviously some indication of how skewed our perspective tends to be.”
Chula Vista is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-03-2016, 10:19 PM   #8 (permalink)
Certified H00d Classic
 
Anteater's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Bernie Sanders's yacht
Posts: 6,129
Default

I'm a big Riverside fan but have been feeling strangely neutral about this album despite having revisited a few times over the last couple months. It's better than the first two albums they did over a decade ago, but it's lacking the mystical crossover awesomeness of Rapid Eye Movement and the groovy 70's feel of Shine Of New Generation Slaves.

However, the fact I only like it less than their two best overall recordings says a lot. The quality is definitely there. I'm sure it'll grow on me even more over time!
__________________
Anteater's 21 Fav Albums Of 2020

Anteater's Daily Tune Roulette

Quote:
Originally Posted by OccultHawk
I was called upon by the muses for greatness.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Frownland
I'm bald, ja.
Anteater is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-07-2016, 09:10 AM   #9 (permalink)
Ier
Groupie
 
Ier's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: The Netherlands
Posts: 1
Default

I love this album. I think it's their best so far!
Ier is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-07-2016, 09:48 AM   #10 (permalink)
Toasted Poster
 
Chula Vista's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: SoCal by way of Boston
Posts: 11,332
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ier View Post
I love this album. I think it's their best so far!
Uhm..... no.
__________________

“The fact that we live at the bottom of a deep gravity well,
on the surface of a gas covered planet going around a nuclear fireball 90 million miles away
and think this to be normal is obviously some indication of how skewed our perspective tends to be.”
Chula Vista is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Similar Threads



© 2003-2024 Advameg, Inc.