Threesome-fearsome, LUCID RECESS surely knows what they're doing. And they know it too damn well. What did you expect? They didn't become sweethearts of the Indian rock-circuit by just standing around like dumb kids while the whims and trends of modern rock aesthetically outshined them; LUCID RECESS, from the very beginning, has grabbed onto the paraphernalia of late-'90s Post-Grunge and stadium-influenced Hard Rock as consciously as AXL rose dresses his locks. Moreover, What LUCID RECESS clearly understand underneath all the groovy coatings of modern-day human angst and anthemic Alt-Rock is the deep-seated discrepancy between conceitedly representing the ‘now’ in music and ambitiously attempting to lead the "era-defying" tag that sets standards for the fresh careers of other young beginners in this ‘not-so-existent’ scene.
On their second album, ENGRAVED INVITATION, LR touch upon Vibes and foundations of all eras past-present and unknown, elements known to impel bands onto the mainstream echelon. The rage and hostility of CREED-ERA Christian-Metal, defined by the aforesaid guitar mire and industrial din, one that holds the adverse and crucial point of being one of the most power-driven derivatives of Modern-Rock, stands as the core of this record, signified in its purest state by the anthems TIME TO CHANGE and TRIBE. The lyrical twists, at times, offering nothing new or super-natural for LUCID RECESS (comparing them to their own previous work) -- or Indian Rock in general:
“The way I’ve fallen down to unfold the unknown
To us they exist, for them we’re god
It’s all in place yet so distant
Centuries have passed
Time left them by”
except perhaps a hint of fantasy and feeling
"Ever wish you could just stop wishing
Ever wonder how easy it would be to just go with
the flow
Things will make sense as they happen
Moving hopelessly would be an option you never
thought before"
tends toward the upheaval of human life and age as the world turns towards the new era.
Instead, the highlights of the album are those that break-free from the subgenre's ennui. The exploratory, psychedelic guitar superfluities, powerful vocal lines and lush, melodic distortion passages that have all become synonymous with most mainstream Alt-Rock acts in general are best typified by the COLDPLAY-ESQUE’s LOST and the BON-JOVISH’s BEST IS YET TO COME which contains no fewer than two astounding, mood changes in its structure.
AWAY maintains the quality gauge. A larger than life ‘galaxy-sized’ anthem with frenetic riffs and powerful bass lines that end up bothering your head, hours after you’ve heard the track. This is one song that’ll stand testament to LUCID RECESS’s evolution as band.
WHAT’s IT TO ME aware the world that Siddharth can do quiet and cherished as well as shrieking bombasts, with guitar licks complimented by amazing patchwork to the surrounding sound of tepid, twinkly vocals and RHCP style bass lines. It's also short and really rather lovely when he laments his sounds through his self-written love ballad CAN’T HELP ME. A love struck Siddharth writes
“Inspired me to dream high
The way you looked....at me
Changed the meaning my life
Was supposed to make".
SOCIALLY ACTIVE WARRIOR takes the warring theme further solidified with drumming that sounds like an approaching army's march under crunchy electric guitar notes that call Mark Tremonti to mind it, before it descends into a distortion-pedals and FX created skirmish in the chorus. Just when you think that there couldn’t be room for any more creativity in this song, ‘Socially Active Warrior’ pummels through breezy bass lines and Djent inspired blocking ideas, alerting the nation that he really is one badass top notch guitar player in his own right (plus a super cool singer, pianist and composer).
Very fittingly, the 50 minutes of music concludes with the most appropriately realized LUCID RECESS vision yet, CALLING. It's those Steven Spielberg space camp rock guitar sounds again, but over what could be a soundtrack to a futuristic film of alien hordes crashing with humanoids on the flipside of the moon. Rakesh Roshan- here’s the new idea for your film, the one that you were troubling me for.
This album is without a doubt India’s blow to every Alt-Metal act that releases an album in 2010.However, To define LUCID RECESS as just an Alt-Rock outfit is to neither do them justice nor recognize the degree of the A-game musical achievement here, a vision that surpasses all the elements of pop, classical and modern day alternative sounds, ENGRAVED INVITATION is, lyrics included( I know, I’m a hypocrite- BUT THIS IS MY REVIEW, SO MOVE ON!!) , hugely energetic, inventive and entertaining, and a colossal nominee for one of the Rock albums of the year. We hope Rick Rubin is reading!
Kaushik Barua