Innerpartysystem - Innerpartysystem (Review)

If it weren't for me being bored on a weekday night at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida, and noticing an attractive yellow and black CD case on a rack, and the fact that the CD was only ten dollars, then I may not have discovered Innerpartysystem until much later, after they broke out into the mainstream.

I wouldn't be able to herald these incredible sounds (and sights, as their concertgoers know) to you so far in advance. But now I can. Narf narf narf.

Innerpartysystem has broken the barrier that was until now considered an impossible task- they've delivered a uniform blend of electronic/dance beats with rock lyrics and melodies. To wow us even more, they've done it on their debut album. No rough teething period, no pubescent insolence - they cut the Gordian knot almost perfectly on the very first stroke.

This album was released in 2008. Founders Nissley and Piccone started this band in 2006. All this has come about in less than two years - a match, one might argue, made in a higher plane.

Yeah, yeah, they're not perfect yet. They need to work on variety and more uplifting music - most of the tracks are depressing in nature - but I'll be damned if I knock such a vibrant startup for minor growing pains in the face of such momentous accomplishment.

All of the tracks have pronounced, bassy beats and electronic-inspired melodies. That's part of the reason that IPS is just so darn good. When you listen to tracks like "Die Tonight, Live Forever" or "Obsession", you don't even know you're listening to a rock band that can reproduce the instrument sections for this live, on stage. There are times when they tip the scales too far - most notably,"Heart of Fire" is a little out of place with more emphasis on rock than electronic influences, but it itself is a unique, impressive and refreshing track.

There are a lot of albums that I like because half the tracks are really fantastic while the rest are slightly better than mediocre. That's not the case with Innerpartysystem. While there are the more popular songs (which now that I look at the track list total at least half the album), they're all performed at the same level of quality and dignity. I mean, I haven't listened to this album in some months. I start playing it again, thinking, "I like this song, let me skip to one that isn't so good to note in the review," and I've found that they're all good. It's just unbelievable.

It's got quite possibly the most powerful opening track I've ever heard on an album, ever. "Die Tonight, Live Forver" starts with a crescendo of this heavy three note riff (ostinato to the classical devotees out there) that crashes like thunder to Patrick Nissley crying:

You can feel the pounding wrapped around your chest,
nothing's too excessive when you've got nothing left!

We're all here 'cause we've lost control
We're all here 'cause we've lost control...

and you're hooked, plain and simple. There's not a damned thing you can - let alone want - to do about it.

The bottom line: Innerpartysystem has set a high standard for themselves, but if they continue with this blend of rock-electronic-dance-punk that they've started with, they will be the ONLY people to pull off a successful career bridging those genres correctly.

Buy. On. Sight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1GIT44jjkE <- Watch "Die Tonight, Live Forever" official video here, embedding has been disabled.