April 23, 2009
THE LATEST CHAPTER IN THEIR EPIC ROCK OPERA; ´ACT III: LIFE AND DEATH´ DUE OUT JUNE 23 ON TRIPLE CROWN RECORDS; TOUR WITH MEWITHOUTYOU STARTS JUNE 8.
THE DEAR HUNTER will be releasing the third chapter of their rock opera on June 23 via Triple Crown Records. ACT III: LIFE AND DEATH chronicles the latest endeavors of "the boy," now a man, looking (and finding) love, loss and reinvention.
To celebrate the album´s release, THE DEAR HUNTER will hit the road as direct support for Mewithoutyou starting June 8 in Richmond, VA and concluding July 11 in Boston, MA.
ACT III: LIFE AND DEATH was produced by singer/pianist/guitarist/lyricist/multi-instrumentalist Casey Crescenzo and guitarist Andy Wildrick. It was recorded at the band's studio in Providence, Rhode Island, and features a number of guest musicians playing everything from strings and horns to harps and woodwinds. The music for this epic project is once again a joint venture between all the band members—Casey Crescenzo, Andy Wildrick, Erick Serna (guitars), Nick Crescenzo (drums) and Nate Patterson (bass).
One of THE DEAR HUNTER´s biggest fans, Anthony Green of Circa Survive, is one of the first people to hear the finished version of ACT III and is eager to share his thoughts about it with fellow musicians and fans alike:
"When I first heard ACT III (which was only very recently, so it´s still new to me), I had the feeling of being proud of my friend, being proud to hear him outdoing himself once again. It came to me in a time when I was in a ring of self-doubt, and it was incredibly inspiring. One moment you´re drunk at a dangerous gypsy wedding (´Saved´), the next you´re hearing some Freddie Mercury and Janis Joplin lovechild, making you rock and bob your head incessantly, singing ´ohh on the other side´ or ´we have to learn to live a lie or we´re waiting here to die´--so breathtaking--you might be saying, ´oh well he´s just that dude´s buddy and would like anything he did,´ but to that I say, ´f**k you.´ He's threatened to kill me on more than one occasion and if this s**t wasn't important I wouldn't listen to it or feel such an urgent need to pass it along and share. The album makes me want to be a better musician, it also makes me grateful to live in this amazing time in musical history where an artist like Casey should be nurtured like a baby seal that could save all our lives one day with its flippers or nosey."
"Every band wants to say that they are evolving," says Casey Crescenzo about ACT III: LIFE AND DEATH, "and that with each new record they are tapping into a new era for the band--usually spouting off a phrase akin to ´This record is so much more melodic--the heavy parts are heavier, and the soft parts are more serene.´ A record speaks for itself and the only job of the artist is to create and not promote. Having said that, we make no attempts to declare the magnitude of the record from the point of view of the audience. The only thing we can proclaim is how rewarding the creation of the record has been and just how profound the effect of that creativity has been on our lives. As we approach the point of detachment, we hope that this work can translate to the listener."
He continues, "The themes for the record fall slightly darker than previous work. Set in a WWI era, ACT III sets its own course with no direct historical ties, only a loyalty to the emotions of the human spirit, documenting the metamorphoses of a fictional central character as he makes the transition from innocence to impurity. With a great deal of care given to marrying all aspects of an album, ACT III follows these themes within the context of lyrics, music, and tonality."
ACT III is the follow-up to 2007´s ACT II: THE MEANING OF, & ALL THINGS REGARDING MS. LEADING, which was described by Alternative Press as an album that "...goes from haunting and otherworldly (´The Oracles On The Delphi Express´) to utterly fantastic—´The Bitter Suite 1 And 2: Meeting Ms. Leading´ is a chamber indie-pop masterpiece, complete with an instantly memorable piano line and a chorus as big as the song title."
Outburn magazine took it a step further: "ACT I: THE LAKE SOUTH, THE RIVER NORTH was a precursor to what Casey Crescenzo could create via his vice, The Dear Hunter. A genre shattering concept album, ACT I set the precedence of what was to come with his follow-up ACT II: THE MEANING OF, AND ALL THINGS REGARDING MS. LEADING. While ACT I contained chapel-like verses, hard rock guitars, and non-vocal selections, ACT II pushes those parameters on a gargantuan scale with a score apt on a Broadway level…Dare not call ACT II a concept album, but rather, abstract musical poetry. 9 out of 10"
"Leaving pride out of the equation," declares Casey, "we strongly suggest you set aside an hour of your day, remove yourself from the woes of reality and enjoy ACT III: LIFE AND DEATH."
www.myspace.com/thedearhunter
www.thedearhunter.com
Tracklist:1. Writing on a Wall2. In Cauda Venenum3. What it Means to be Alone4. The Tank5. The Poison Woman6. The Thief7. Mustard Gas8. Saved9. He Said He Had A Story10. This Beautiful Life11. Go Get Your Gun12. Son13. Father14. Life and Death
Source: Absolutepunk.netLabels: indie, prog rock, rock
Ive always been interested on getting my hands on some live Beirut - ive been captivated by the way he layers his voice on his recordings and have been champing at th ebit to see how he can transform this into a live setting. What i find is this young man adapting to a live set by varying his voice even moreso - delving into different vocal techniques almost resembling sanskrit at times but alwasy beautiful. The ethnic undertones are set by his accompanying band which sets the mood through this journey of European folk tunes. Im only half way through and am loving it!
