Eyestrings
Burdened Hands
© 2004 Ryan Parmenter (783707837628)
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Dynamic progressive rock often swooping from epic to whimsical to downright dark; each unique track's infectious melodies and challenging rhythms are sure to please a variety of music lovers.
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Released by Split Difference Records in January 2004, "Burdened Hands" is the self-produced debut by Eyestrings. Based in metropolitan Detroit, Michigan, USA, Eyestrings is led by Ryan Parmenter, who functions as the band's primary composer, keyboardist and vocalist. Alan Rutter, one-time member of Los Angeles-based RCA Project, shines on electric and acoustic guitars and provides backup vocals. Well known in progressive rock circles as the bassist from the renowned band Discipline, Mathew Kennedy brings his tasteful low-end sound to Eyestrings. Bob Young solidifies the sound of the band with his West African-influenced stylings on drums and percussion.
Sometimes dark, sometimes light, but always compelling, Eyestrings creates music that is as emotionally charged as it is complex. Live performances have earned everything from wild hoots to attentive quiet, in following with the dynamic range of the band's music. Burdened Hands is a fine representation of this range. With songs varying widely in mood, sound, theme, arrangement, and duration, but still quite cohesive as an album, "Burdened Hands" offers plenty to be appreciated by music lovers. The songs are often complex in form but also ripe with memorable melodies--as is common with progressive music, some take several listens to sink in--and lyrics that can be poetically subtle ("Recovery"), cleverly silly ("Just a Body"), or wickedly blunt ("Time Will Tell"). Eyestrings takes the listener on a journey that is often challenging, and always rewarding.
Highlights from published reviews of "Burdened Hands":
15.5 out of 16 stars:
"The almost chaotically exuberant energy that goes into these three- to 12-minute compositions ... make for a recording as successful as the Flower Kings at their best. There's the elusive yet infectious refrain and great instrumental break of the four-minute 'Itchy Tickler,' the tasty incorporation of vintage mellotron in such pieces as 'Dead Supermen,' and the stirringly resolving climax full of grandeur of the epic closer, 'Empty Box.' The latter includes the sort of sinuous electric guitar work by Alan Rutter that sealed the deal for Discipline's 'Into the Dream.' "
- David Taylor, Progression Magazine
http://www.progressionmagazine.com
6 out of 6 stars:
"The band amazingly easily and masterfully works with sinuous, constantly twisting instrumental arrangements, including those going along with vocals, and they are almost throughout here... Surely, my CD player will often be burdened with 'Burdened Hands'. Highly recommended."
- Vitaly Menshikov, Progressor
http://www.progressor.net
"Yes, Eyestrings is influenced by, akin to even, Discipline. Having said that, the band is its own original. I find myself getting lost in the music regularly (which doesn't happen all that often to us cynical reviewers). Next to the Discipline there is the tongue in cheekness of the Crack The Sky's or Ben Folds's of this world, and all other things making this a varied album that is fresh and original."
-Roberto Lambooy, Axiom of Choice
http://www.cs.uu.nl/people/jur/progrock.html
"Burdened Hands is a very easy album to get into with strong songs and melodies, often-humorous lyrics and faultless instrumentals. With so many influences at their disposal, it will be interesting to see on future albums if Eyestrings maintain the same diverse but coherent styles or thin them down a little. I'll wager that their sound will develop mainly from that found in Recovery and Empty Box though I hope they will always try and include something of the contrasts found on Burdened Hands, which as I have implied is instantly likeable."
- Jem Jedrzejewski, The Hairless Heart Herald
http://www.camelesk.demon.co.uk/hairless-heart-herald.htm
"All the tracks on the album are quite good, the highlights for me being the two longer pieces (Recovery - Empty Box) and also the instrumental second part of Slackjaw (with it's waves of Melloton and keyboard/guitar soloing) is just phenomenal. In conclusion, with Burdened Hands what you get is an excellent American style Prog Rock album. Fans of Spocks Beard should do themselves a favor and check these guys out ... Very cool stuff indeed from a more than promising newcomer."
- Marc Roy, ProGGnosis
http://www.proggnosis.com
"At first, this disc seems to have no cohesion so much tracks have very different styles some of the others, but at the end of several listening, we notice that it is exactly this variety which makes it his its cohesion. Certain passages can remind the SPOCK'S BEARD sound, but EYESTRINGS evolves all the same in a different register. We shall note magnificent 'Empty Box', long composition of 12 '37, who encloses marvelously this cd."
- SomthingProg
http://www.somethingprog.com
"[T]he overall craftsmanship is very strong and the music, unswervingly confident, always returns to itself. And don't worry - it's not a concept album. You don't have to like Prog to like this one. You just have to like music."
- Jay Forman, Splendid Ezine
http://www.splendidezine.com
reviews
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How about something original?
author: Luis NasserIt's no secret that "Prog" is the dirtiest 4-letter word in music. But these guys are not another band trying to recreate some vintage 70's sound. They don't wear capes (at least not in public) and they don't sing about utopias envisioned by Roger Dean. But they do make music unlike 99% of the stuff that's out there. Progression? This stuff's the real deal and it RAWKS! You owe it to yourselves to check out "Burdened Hands", because it is excellent. They have a new one coming out in a month or so called "Consuption". Heard them do some cuts live at ROSfest 2005, and it's also killer. No sophomore blues for these guys. Word.
Worth Every Penny!
author: Lou ColumbusI purchased this CD based on a review in Progression magazine. It is one of my best music purchases this year! It's really hard to describe their sound, because the style is so varied, I detect influences from Bowie to Pearl Jam. The standout track for me is Dead Supermen, and amazing song that blows away any current commercial offering. Everything is on a very professional level, from the musicianship to the sound quality. To sum it up; these guys have what it takes, real talent!