The independent music community is not wasting its time getting things moving in the new year. The Soviet Machines and R.A.P. Ferreira have already given music lovers plenty to appreciate in this year with their new albums. Now today, fellow independent act Countless Thousands added to the year’s already fast-filling field of new music with its new album …And The Triumph of Justice. The 16-song record is a standout among its current counterparts within the independent and rock communities. That is due in no small part to the diversity exhibited in the album’s musical arrangements. This will be discussed shortly. The lyrical themes that accompany the album’s musical arrangements add their own share of interest to the album’s presentation. They will be discussed a little later. The record’s sequencing rounds out its most important elements and will be discussed later, too. Each item noted here is important in its own way to the whole of the album. All things considered, they make …And The Triumph of Justice the first truly standout independent album of 2021.
Countless Thousands’ new album …And The Triumph of Justice is a great early surprise from this year’s field of new independent and rock albums. It is a presentation that will appeal widely to audiences thanks in part to its featured musical arrangements. The arrangements in question present a wide variety of stylistic approaches and sounds. Right from its outset, ‘The Triumph of Justice,’ audiences get a composition that immediately lends itself to the sounds of Queen from the late 1980s. More specifically, the one minute, seven second instrumental composition immediately lends itself to comparisons to the songs that Queen crafted for the television adaptation of Highlander and for its work on the Flash Gordon. It is so cheesy in its nearly over the top approach, but is so glorious at the same time for that power metal style approach and sound. From there, the band immediately changes things up in the album’s second entry, ‘Game Change.’ That song is indeed a game change for the album, as it takes a more punk rock approach. Speaking more specifically, the approach here, is akin to works from the likes of Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys. That is evidenced in the use of the vocal delivery, guitar, bass and even drums. It goes without saying that the whole makes for quite the contrast from the album’s opener and keeps things interesting. ‘Space Nazis Must Die (ft. Professor Elementary)’ changes things yet again, giving audiences this time, more of a stoner rock style sound. As if that change is not enough, the band takes on America’s National Anthem a la Jimi Hendrix but with quite the twist in the album’s next track. Things only continue to change from here on to the album’s end. The album turns more in a bluegrass vein in ‘The Rat’ before turning back in the punk direction in ‘Solidarity Forever.’ ‘Parts Unknown’ gives audiences yet another change, turning the album in a neo-folk style direction. Stoner rock fans will appreciate the next few songs, ‘Fat Cat,’ ‘MASK OFF’ and ‘Lazar Wolf.’ The wildly crazy (no pun intended) ‘Murder Assassins from the Future’ is bizarre but one can’t help but listen to the jolly sounding song about a crazed killer. This will be addressed shortly in the discussion on the album’s lyrical content. The album turns back in the punk direction from there in ‘Parts Oiknown.’ Yes, that is really the title, not a typo. The neo-folk approach returns once again in its cover of Stephen Foster’s timeless tune ‘Hard Times (Come No More) before closing out in two more unique fashions in the album’s last two songs. Looking back through all of this, it becomes evident that throughout the course of its 45-minute run time, this album offers so much for listeners to enjoy. It never sticks too long to one style of song, ensuring listeners’ engagement and entertainment just in this aspect. For all that the diverse musical presentation of …And The Triumph of Justice does for its presentation, it is just one of the items that makes this record so surprisingly enjoyable. The lyrical content that accompanies the album’s musical arrangements builds on the foundation built by the music and strengthens it even more.
The lyrical content that is presented throughout Countless Thousands’ new album will generate its own share of interest for listeners. One prime example of that interest comes, as noted previously, comes in the uniquely titled and sounding ‘Murder Assassins From the Future.’ The playful song features a story about apparently a crazy guy who claims to be from the future on a mission to stop a future apocalypse by trying to kill a child. Of course things don’t end up well for the nutjob. What happens will be left for listeners to discover for themselves, but the overall sarcastic and light hearted nature in the story makes it stand out so much from the rest of the record’s lyrical content.
In direct contrast, the much more reserved ‘Parts Unknown’ (not to be confused with ‘Points Oinknown’) gives listeners something more reality-based. It is sung from the standpoint of what seems to be a parent singing to his daughter, recounting his own past as he talks to her about herself growing up. The parent tells the child that “you are the ripple in my water” and to “stay humble” as she grows up. He ends the song telling her, “I love you how you are.” It really is a touching moment in this record that is certain to become a fan favorite.
‘Game Change’ gives listeners even more interest in regards to the album’s lyrical themes. A close listen to this song reveals a socio-politically charged work that seems to take on the lengths to which people will go against one another nowadays. Additionally, it presents its own damning condemnation of how the Democrats and Republicans alike have abused their powers, going so far as to say of this topic, “It’s just rock, paper, scissors/Going around and around in circles/Winners eat the losers in a zero sum game.” The whole things ends with the line asking listeners, “What are you willing to live with?” That is a telling question. Together with the other noted statements, it becomes clear that this song is meant to present a familiar topic (if not two topics) that are accessible to audiences. When this is considered along with the themes addressed in ‘Parts Unknown,’ ‘Murder Assassins From the Future’ and the rest of the album’s entries, no doubt is left as to the importance and impact of the record’s lyrical content. When the whole of the album’s lyrical content is considered together with the record’s musical content, the overall content make for more than enough reason for people to hear this album. They are collectively still just a portion of what audiences will appreciate in this presentation. The sequencing of the featured content puts the finishing touch to the record’s presentation.
The sequencing of …And the Triumph of Justice is key to the album’s presentation because it takes into account the wide range of musical and lyrical content and the energies in the album’s songs. As already noted here, the album’s musical arrangements are diverse. At no point in the record’s nearly 50-minute run do the arrangements stay one way too long. The longest span through which any one style remains is three songs late in the record’s run. That constant change in the album’s musical arrangement styles does plenty in its own right to keep listeners engaged and entertained. The energies in the arrangements change just as constantly as the styles in the arrangements. The whole thing starts in the noted grandiose style in the album’s title track. From there, the record’s energy picks up quite noticeably in its second track. It is not until the band’s take on the National Anthem that the record’s energy pulls back. From there, the energy gradually picks back up until it reaches its peak again in ‘Solidarity Forever.’ What’s so interesting here is that as energetic and frenetic as the arrangement is, its up-tempo take of the otherwise more solemn ‘Battle Hymn of the Republic’ in classic punk style makes for one heck of a dichotomy. The band slams on the brakes again from there in ‘Parts Unknown.’ The energy gradually rises again from there, getting a little more upbeat in the hybrid stoner/swing style ‘Fat Cat.’ The band decides to go in a different direction from there in ‘Mask Off’ what with the plodding stoner/sludge/doom hybrid approach. What’s interesting here is that while the brief opus is short – it clocks in at just under a minute – it is still heavy, and sets the stage for the much more up-tempo (and 80s Queen-eque) ‘Lazar Wolf.’ The energy gradually decline again from there, but not too much, as is evidenced in the light but still up-tempo folk take of ‘Hard Times (Come Again No More).’ The album goes out on a controlled note in its final two songs, landing listeners easily on a distant musical shore from where they started on the musical journey that is this record. By the record’s end, audiences will find that the journey is one on which they will want to go again thanks to the clear attention to the rise and fall in the album’s energies. That attention keeps things interesting from start to end, and in turns keeps the record moving and sounding so enjoyable. Keeping this in mind along with the importance of the album’s content, the result is a record whose content and related presentation thereof is equally positive. All things considered, they make …And the Triumph of Justice a triumph of an independent album and an album in general.
Countless Thousands’ new album …And the Triumph of Justice is itself a triumphant new offering from the unsigned, independent band. That is proven in part through its musical arrangements, which are quite diverse to say the least. The lyrical content that accompanies the record’s musical arrangements adds its own share of appeal to the album. The sequencing of that collective content puts the final touch to the album’s presentation, bringing everything full circle. Each item note here is key in its own way to the whole of the album. All things considered, they make the album in whole a musical triumph. The album is available now. More information on the record is available along with all of Countless Thousands’ latest news at:
Website: http://www.countlessthousands.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CountlessThousands
Twitter: http://twitter.com/countless1000s
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