Balance and Composure “Separation” Yellow/Blue Sunfire LP – This review should be prefaced by the disclaimer that Balance and Composure has never been a band that impressed me, and its latest, Separation, isn’t a game changer in that regard. Boasting influences like Sunny Day Real Estate, Neutral Milk Hotel and Nirvana, Balance and Composure has always sounded like whine rock with some tinges of needless screaming and that trend doesn’t cease with Separation.
From the opening words of “Void” – “Found out, everyone is shallow…” – Separation has that whiney vibe weakly driving it. By the second and title track, the band’s vocalists are letting their voices crackle over long notes.
That said, fans of Balance and Composure should dig what the band is doing on this album. The production by Brian McTernan at Salad Day’s Studio and the mastering by Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound are top notch for the sound the band is trying (and succeeding) to achieve.
The band also seems to be playing around with a few cool effects. Again, going back to “Void,” there is a bit of vocal work (just a few words) that sounds as though it has a close electronic layering or echo, enhancing the sound of his work. It’s a fun sound, and like the guitar fuzz and most elements of Separation, serves to create a very specific vibe. And make no mistake, the band does an absolutely fantastic job of creating its vibe on Separation; it’s just not a vibe I’m personally digging.
That said, it is hard not to love almost everything about Separation’s vinyl artwork and packaging. The front features a woman in a black dress whose head seems to have been replaced by a burning sun, all in front of a splotchy green background. The back simply features a small-print, white track list on the green background, and fans can buy a somewhat matching blue and sunfire split LP. The other two options are black or white, and the album is also available in CD format, though with the white pressing I got it seems like a drop of blue somehow got into the mix, creating a weird spot on the vinyl.
The vinyl does come with a download voucher though, making it a smarter purchase, and the inside of the sleeve only serves to reinforce that decision. The left side features a series of six images, all with human-like characters whose heads have apparently been replaced by things like an eyeball, umbrella and flower. Not only are they incredibly interesting and well done, but the combination of watercolors creates a very cool effect.
The right side features “–SEPARATION–” in large letter across the top, and each song’s title and lyrics in two columns underneath. Illustrator Jon Turner and layout artist Chris Hansen both deserve a major nod for their work, as it is attention-grabbing, relevant to the album and overall just aesthetically pleasing. It almost makes it worth buying the Separation LP on its own merit, even before considering the album. But in all likelihood, fans of Balance of Composure will like what they hear on the wax as well.
Review by: Bill Jones
Sound/Pressing Quality: 3/5
The Album: 3/5
Artwork & Packaging: 5/5
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