Birds and Buildings: Bantam to Behemoth

Washington, D.C.'s Birds and Buildings is one of those progressive-rock bands that, despite several spins, is still tough to grasp. Even the group's name and album title are confounding. But echoes of King Crimson and Gentle Giant, blasts of bebop with sax, clarinet and flute, and distorted almost buried vocals make Bantam to Behemoth a tempting spin for adventurous listeners.

Musical themes are repeated throughout this nine-song, 69-minute disc, and band members claim the mostly-instrumental album adheres to an epic concept dealing with collision, evolution and conflict (although it's sometimes difficult to follow). Birds and Buildings suggests listeners divide the album into three sets of three songs each — which makes this music seem less daunting. Among the highlights is the curiously titled 10-and-a-half-minute "Yucatan 65: The Agitation of the Mass," which begins with an acoustic guitar and flute before evolving into a prog workout that would make both King Crimson and the Flower Kings proud.

With the exception of drums, all instruments were recorded by the musicians themselves in their home studios. And although the album has not been professionally mixed or mastered, it still sounds superior to many independent releases.

Track Listing:
1) Birds Flying Into Buildings
2) Terra Fire
3) Tunguska
4) Caution Congregates and Forms a Storm
5) Chronicle of the Invisible River of Stone
6) Yucatan 65: The Agitation of the Mass
7) Chakra Khan
8) Battalion
9) Sunken City, Sunny Day

Added: May 20th 2008
Reviewer: Michael Popke
Score:
Related Link: Birds and Buildings on MySpace
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