review from - exploding in sound

http://www.explodinginsound.com/2009/07/minute-of-arcs-future-forests-of-space.html

Minute of Arc's Future Forests of Space Rock

For fans of the early 90s space rock sound, times are good here in the latter half of the current century. The widely beloved Failure and Hum are two of the most influential bands in pioneering the sound, and sadly both disbanded far too early. Their influence however is never stronger, commonly felt in the past few years with a promising new movement of space rock bands. Cleveland, Ohio’s Minute of Arc is the latest addition to the pack and show great potential. Having played together for several years, the quartet has released their debut album “Future Forests” on Dial Den Recordings. The impression of many years spent intently listening to their influences is apparent, but as they say, imitation is the highest form of flattery. Minute of Arc doesn’t simply repeat their influences’ music but rather effectively create a stellar amalgamation of their styles. With a focus on celestial guitar layering and carefully constructed shifting rhythms, the band has big shoes to fill and prove ready for the task.


“Singularity” warps out the gate with warm and breezy guitar distortion from Rick Spitalsky and Ryan Sack. The gentle drift of layered melody joins the calming simplicity of Spitalsky’s voice. As he sings in a dream like atmosphere the song shifts intensity thanks largely to drummer Rick Edburg. The grunge factor of the desired sound proves evident on “Lightspeed” as Mike Barber’s bass grooves from its murky depth while the guitars twinkle and creak around the rhythm. The hook blasts out from the verses with a memorable addition to the soaring texture. Lyrics such as “radiation take control, it’s all chemical you know,” and “let the future be known, all the stitches been sewn, you were all home grown, in this new space,” demonstrate Minute of Arc delving into the outer space subject matter with the best of them. “Greenhouse” is a faster paced attack that crashes across the speakers like a tidal wave. Reminiscent of Hum’s hit single “Stars,” the song is able to burst forward with distorted guitar and bass riffs that complement each other while digging further into the rhythm. The paint peeling duel guitar attack conquers all in its path as Spitalsky’s singing is steady and soothing much like that of Hum’s Matt Talbott.

“In the Afternoon” features a lumbering drum section that holds the song tightly together with the dim fuzz of the guitars surging back and forth. A strong rolling bass line and gravelly vocal delivery add to the mix of lyrical imagery before the album’s first instrumental segue “Instructions”. Pure early 90s space grunge rears its head once again on “Foreign Lands,” a track seemingly influenced by Failure’s “Magnified” record. The vocal melody rides shimmering over the dense distortion of the guitars while Edburg pounds away at his drum set. “Crossing the Bridge of Light” is a mellow trip with dissonant guitars charging and peeling through the hypnotic bass line. Spitalsky’s voice can be very raw at times, which may detract some, while others may find that to be its greatest appeal. Minute of Arc show a great ability for cohesive song writing with extended “jams” from the band that drift and roar with constant spiraling of the two guitarists and subtle yet intricately shifting drumming.

“Blink Out” rips with a heavy chugging guitar storm of strong intertwining effects. The balanced vocals at times often sound like a cross between Ken Andrews, Kurt Cobain, and the honest sincerity of J. Mascis’ voices. The quick surge of power leads the album into the final song, “People of the Sea”. The vocals are processed over acoustic guitars creating a gorgeous texture and a calming end to the album. The lyrics paint a picture of lonely and isolated space exploration as he sings goodnight from the magnetic fields before the transmission fades away. While this is nothing groundbreaking, Minute of Arc has released a very promising debut that will certainly resonate among fans of the genre. Cleveland is too limiting for a sound this big, and one can only hope touring behind the cosmic space exploration that is “Future Forests” will take itself nationwide. Minute of Arc, together with the emergence of other like minded bands such as Exeter, Satellite Tragedy, Zuu, and (Damn) This Desert Air could carry space rock to underground prominence once again.