If you’re a band that combines rock and any string instrument, you automatically have my vote. And do mean AUTOMATICALLY!

Therefore, from the first song off of The Old Ceremony’s new album Walk On Thin Air, I knew that I would enjoy this band. “Till My Voice Is Gone” starts off the album almost in a trance. Very light, just a hint of strings with a few lyrics layered on top. You give it a few more moments and not only do a few more strings join in, but I do believe there’s an organ that contributes a note or two. At the half way point, the guitar adds its two cents and brings in that rock element I mentioned before. It’s only the first song and already they’ve exceeded my expectations. “Plate Tectonics” follows next in line on the album. The guitar in this one begs a comparison to a 60s rock ‘n roll band. Seriously. It’s electronic for sure, but the essence and simplicity of it reminds me of a band out of the Hendrix and Ramones era. While discussing the physics of geology movements in the earth, that same guitar builds up some momentum with the help of a bass drum. Through what seems like the chorus lead in, comes more strings! “There’s no way to stop it, plate tectonics” gets surprisingly catchy, when set to a rhythm perfected several decades ago. The title track “Walk On Thin Air” actually comes in a bit depressing. “I woke up dead again” doesn’t really get a smile going on anyone’s face. Nor does: “I want to lock you up, no chain is strong enough”. There’s not really much of anything that joins in for this song, besides some guitar, a touch of percussion and the strings again. It’s a mostly acoustic song. And with the general feeling that it’s trying to get across, I can see why. “The Disappear” starts off nearly as an exact duplicate of an RJD2 song, but just as I love that song, I’m quite infatuated with this one. The beat is undeniably addictive. It keeps me listening to this song over and over again.

If you’re a fan of Coldplay you’ll enjoy “Same Difference." I know it seems like a stretch, but trust me. OK, it first starts off with just guitar, and as good as it is, it’s still not enough to sell the song to anyone else. But, just wait, and roughly 45 seconds into it is the essence of this song. Of course I’m speaking of those ever popular orchestra instruments again. This time they’re set lower to accompany the bass. Very similar to the new sound heard on a certain album that rhymes with Liva La Lida. Skipping ahead a few songs is “Ready To Go” and is probably the most “rock” song on the entire album. Yet still not in the traditional sense, rather more in the “fun” sense. There’s definitely a strong beat that makes itself known several times throughout the song. But to mix it up a bit are a few other elements changing the song to that of a Jamaican persuasion. Elements like a woodwind that sounds like it’s literally made out of wood. And a percussion section that includes a few non-traditional sounds. I’ll let your mind wonder on that one. Remember that style of rock I mentioned before that sounded as though it came from a few decades ago? Well the final track on the album brings back a bit of that older sound. “Ennio” seems as though it’s this bands equivalent to the “Rawhide” theme. And coming in the under a minute in length, it could actually work. That is if someone decided to do a remake.

So if you tally it up, you have the Ramones, RJD2, Coldplay and “Rawhide” all on one album. And if that wasn’t enough, you have a talented string section that adds just a little bit of something-something to this band, giving what they’ll need to succeed.

Review by: Rachel Fredrickson



Additional links:
- The Old Ceremony's Website
- The Old Ceremony on Myspace