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The members of The Narrator live in Chicago, but none of them
are from there. Singer/guitarist Sam Axelrod is from uptown Manhattan.
Bassist James Barron is from downriver Detroit and singer/guitarist
Jesse Woghin is from all over, but mostly Long Island and Dallas.
They’ve been around for a few years, driven around the country
a bunch and made a few recordings, all of which are on Flameshovel,
the label they love. Perhaps their greatest aspirations lie with
continuing to do the things they do and have people come to their
shows and enjoy them. It doesn’t seem like much, but really
it is.
During the writing of their new album, All That to the Wall,
The Narrator underwent some pretty heavy changes, which included
the departure of their drummer. Maybe this slimming down further
forced the boys in a direction they were already headed, or maybe
it served to remind them of what they loved about being here in
the first place. Regardless, the band hunkered down in the
studio and brought along friends – and mostly label mates – from
the likes of Oxford Collapse, Russian Circles, Bound Stems, Sybris,
Tight Phantomz and Lying In States to help make things right. Ultimately,
the-new-look-Narrator has resurfaced as the delicious popcorn these
kernels have always had inside of them, making a record that they’re
truly proud of and really want you to hear.
Due to their general dislike of most band bios, we’ve asked
Sam to continue this informative missive with his song-by-song
comments for All That to the Wall:
01. “Son of the Son of the Kiss of Death” – It’s
only fitting that we opened the record with fake drums considering
the fact that we didn’t really have a drummer at the time.
Dave [Turncrantz] from Russian Circles plays drums on half the
record. He generally plays on the darker and/or heavier songs.
Plays like a monster. We were very fortunate to have him.
02. “August 32nd“– Dan [Fetherston] from Oxford
Collapse plays drums on the other half. He’s the one who
kinda sounds like an amped-up Bill Berry. He plays on more of the
lighter and/or poppier songs. It was his idea to “Nu Bruise” the
drums at the beginning of this one. Good call. This is the first
song I know of to contain the phrase “fields of koosh.”
03. “Speeding up the Gang” – This song expands
on that Blink-182 song that goes “Work sucks, I know…” I
took that and really ran with it.
04. “SurfJew” – The hit. In the ever popular
key of Eb, maybe. Somehow we could never come up with a better
title.
05. “Panic at Puppy Beach” – Against [engineer
Mike] Lust’s wishes we tried to find the most Winwood-esque
keyboard sound possible for this one. One review of our 1st album
[Such Triumph, 2005] predicted something about us “pussying
out” on our next record. Wonder how that guy will feel about
this song. Or the next one.
06. “All the Tired Horses” – Bob Dylan cover
from the rarely acclaimed Self Portrait LP. Recorded the
vocals in the middle of the night with all three of us on one mic
in the hallway of the spooky industrial building that Phantom Manor
resides in. The ballad that is the B-side of the SurfJew 7” was
originally supposed to be on the album, but everyone agreed that
this one was too good not to be included on the album, so we flipped ‘em.
07. “Start Parking” – Huck Finn on the banks
of the Mississippi. No crocodile tears in the city of redemption.
The day our band became a trio, a little drunk roughhousing led
to me slightly breaking the index finger on my fretting hand, which
in turn created the droney “splint” note that carries
throughout the first half of the song.
08. “Papal Airways” – An older, significantly
more inferior version of this song appears on a compilation that
just might be the coaster your beer is residing on right now. Speaking
of comps, if anyone knows where Ken Whatshisname from Iowa has
been hiding, please let us know. We mailed him an inferior version
of a different song years ago for his comp that
was seemingly never released. Also, for those air-drumming along
at home, you can find my favorite fill on the record at 2:04 here.
09. “Breaking the Turtle” – Song for the singer
of Russian Circles. I know what you’re thinking: where’s
the bass? No bass! If it was good enough for the Doors… Apologies
from our band to the entire city of New London, CT.
10. “A Decade in Kentucky” – It always bugs
me when bands put their two longest songs next to each other on
an album, yet somehow we went ahead and did it anyway. I hate us.
The commotion heard towards the end of this song consists of the
gang making a racket with anything loud we could find in the studio.
Lust chose to make his noise by flying into the room, knocking
us all down and spitting beer in my face.
11. “Chocolate Windchimes” – I think Jesse’s
lyrics here are the best he’s ever written. As the self-appointed
sentimentalist of the band I was near tears the first few times
we listened to it in mixing. Except for some reason I can’t
actually cry. It’s cool. Arguably the 2nd guitar solo in
Narrator history. Also, as far as I’m concerned, anyone who
can navigate Pittsburgh in the dark is a fucking genius.
In closing, somewhere along the way, while trying to make a record
about weather, geography, religion, sex, nostalgia, hanging out,
waiting, aging, quitting and leaving, The Narrator accidentally
made one about the end of their band. Oops. This seems a little
presumptuous or pretentious; we’re not entirely sure which
one. In these post-modern times, though, interpretation is the
best part. Regardless of your choice and regardless of whether
or not they make another album, All That to the Wall is
already standing the test of time, as it’s the tale that’s
spun in getting there that’s the best part. Or as Aerosmith
put it in some crappy 80’s song: “Life’s a journey,
not a destination.” Or something like that.
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"Happy birthday, Bobby D! Here's proof that even your weirdest throwaways can be awesome: These Chicago indie kids' take on this Self Portrait oddity
is downright gorgeous."
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"It's not easy to locate the common ground between the raggedy slackerdom of the Replacements and the museum-curator cleverness of poet Frank O'Hara-that is,
unless you're Chicago's the Narrator. In the quartet's soft-spoken conversation and throughout their dyanmic LP, All
That to the Wall (Flameshovel), references to indie rock's glory days and avant-garde literature comfortable co-exist.
'[In] terms of lyrics, there's a lot of serious stuff in there, but we try to balance it out with humor and levity,' says
singer/guitarist Sam Axelrod. That balance is what makes the Narrator a source of reprieve for the indie-weary." - Lee Bains
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"None of them have Chicago roots, but the Narrator adopt the cherished qualities of their hometown with nimble, guitar-based post rock, underdog diligence, and an
affinity for processed meats. On All That to the Wall, the band's self-consciousness smirk shows up in titles like 'Breaking the Turtle' or verse about Gen Y malaise,
but the hollered choruses demonstrate a lionhearted sincerity."
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"The Narrator speaks another language, or at least a code of inside jokes.... The Narrator's smirking combination of self-effacing wit and sentiment recalls Pavement's
glory days, even though the group has more of a predilection for aggressive, messy post-punk." - Kyle Ryan
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7.2 out of 10 "...There's no way to capture in the studio hoarse catharsis, ringing ears, collapsing floorboards, errant bodily fluids, saxophonists in pink bunny
suits, or whatever other shit happens at the band's shows, and I'd guess this record is borne of that realization. It's not a question of lowering the bar; it's knowing
the difference between a performance and an album. The basic sound of the band hasn't changed significantly, but the difference is clear right away: On opener "Son of the
Son of the Kiss of Death", the guitars are still winding and spidery, but the vocals have been refined considerably, their frayed and flailing yelp becoming more
expressive at every turn. The stiff fingering of the verses shifts to a surprisingly catchy, straightforward chorus, with just a few keyboard notes poking through
before they finally grind through some cacophonous bent notes in the outro. Even with that, they sound more patient, balanced, and focused." - Jason Crock
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"...On their second full-length All That to the Wall, and after a few years of trolling that scene's clubs, All That to the Wall sees them mirror the sounds
of indie Windy City colleagues like Chin Up Chin Up and Bound Stems. At times. Mostly, they're more comfortable in Malkmus dazes and brief bursts of Figurines-shaped fuzz-
guitar pop."
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"There's a fine line between a 'messy' and a 'sloppy' band. Messy = interesting. Sloppy = practice more. The Narrator have it down how to expertly tippy-toe that fine
line, resulting in them just being plain 'awesome.' This infectious Chicago group of guys play mostly manic, Dischord-meets early Jade Tree-inspired rock that sounds like
Trail of Dead meets Cap'n Jazz meets Detachment Kit. They mix chaotic machine-gun guitar outbursts with introspective, highly melodic, arrangements, often abruptly and in
mid-song. The ending effect is a stop-start whiplash of tracks that could best be described as 'tumultuous anthems.' The Narrator take the best elements of those mid-90's
Chicago bands (think angular) and inject it with their own brand of attacking fury that also sounds pretty. This is punk with a heart. We love these guys."
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"A raucous drum machine opener, a haunting Bob Dylan cover, upbeat open road jams, and crooning slow-ups; this record goes full circle. Perfect for dusty Baja missions,
canned beer and fire pits."
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3 out of 5 "The Chicago band effortlessly crafts slacker anthems ('My job is ruining my life... they call me lazy,' quotes one lyric), with its off-kilter guitar licks
and manic-yet-honed energy. 'SurfJew' is clearly the best track."
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"The old Narrator would've used that part as a bridge to a bridge to a bridge, then discarded it after a couple seconds, but here they turn it into
four minutes of gently driving pop bliss. You don't have to wait for the payoffs in their songs anymore - they've learned to find a sweet spot and stay there."
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"This hometown group is getting ready to unleash a new record, All That to the Wall (Flameshovel), in March, and the tracks floating around the internet
are delicious - a melodic mix of raspy, intense vocals, thick but nimble beats and sparky energy."
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"Careening with strangely Far East-sounding guitar arpeggiation over static drum wallops, 'Son of the Son of the Kiss of Death' is an immediately invigorating
injection of adrenaline. Axelrod's vocal chords are sandpaper spectacular. Visceral, baby. Russian Circles drummer Dave Turncrantz plays on half of the record,
his weighty fills sending an extra jolt of lightning into any dark corners. 'Surf Jew' is the up-tempo scream-along, with chugging guitar leading the listener
into familiar chorus chanting territory, in this case: 'I know, I know and I know...' What Axelrod knows isn't necessarily discernable, but it doesn't seem to
matter. It has 'single' stamped all over it." - Mars Simpson
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"Chicago's the Narrator are friends with no contrivance or pretense in their project. They make their brand of rock by working through
ideas one at a time, with one leading to the next. Maybe this organic chemistry is an explanation for why the songs are so resonant.
Vocal melodies run parallel to the buzz-saw riffs and intersect and diverge at the next section. Spoken background vocals contrast strained shout-along choruses.
Precise fretwork evolves into noisy breakdowns, the precision belted by the possibility of the whole shebang descending into chaos....
True dynamism can't be developed on an L.A. soundstage. The Narrator is an example of homegrown ethos paired with rigorous practice leading to songs that beg to be heard."
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"The hooks are like dissonant harmonic cries for help so catchy they urge you to sing along. With lethargic lyrics on dense cuts like
'Speeding Up the Gang', it's quite hard not to relate [to] these boys.... Overall, The Narrator's potential is limitless. They have the
musical chops and vocal styling that are definitely charming. We're sure their live show is hard to beat. What makes this record different from
any emo sounding record is that they are willing to experiment and rethink what makes a good song. 'A Decade in Kentucky' is both unsettling
and grandiose a tune as it gets, and if there is such a thing as a feedback anthem, this is it. The Narrator are one of those bands whose humor,
sensibilities and charm should not go unnoticed."
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"All That to the Wall is the band's follow-up, a smart, infectious dueling match between the band's original sound and a newfound take on classic indie
rock-the songs a bit shorter and tighter than on the previous full-length, each of the album's songs swirl around your head, jabbing at your brain, until,
unexpectedly, one by one, they're gone, and you're off to the next. Just when a song seems too loose to hold together, an intricate guitar riff will tear
through and glue the seams. It's unquestionably the best The Narrator's done so far..."
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"For a band that had a nightmare of a time getting down to SXSW, the Narrator sure know how to put the very recent past behind them and throw one hell of a party. With all
that fiery intensity about them coupled with their share of touring woes, they could easily have come off a little too angsty for anyone over the age of 18, but fortunately
they also have blazing wit and an unshakable sense of humor which gives their music depth, maturity and empathy. Cracking jokes and smarting off to members of the audience
throughout the set, they ended the show by bringing people up on stage to sing their anthemic close, 'All the Tired Horses'. The whole thing felt more like a private party
for close friends rather than an uptight industry event."
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"In the manner of Wire and its innumerable followers, the Narrator recognizes that anarchy is most effective when tightly bridled. Although their band resembles
those short-lived post-post-punk combos that burst from British art schools, singer-guitarists Sam Axelrod and Jesse Woghin do have their
American moments. 'Start Parking' is almost power-pop, even if its blithe backing vocals are countered by sparks of feedback."
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"Chicago band The Narrator plays my kind of indie-rock, landing somewhere between Pavement and Modest Mouse. The music is sparse at times, with jagged edges, and sometimes
features gloriously chiming guitars and a noisy approach. Above all, though, are hooks for days, courtesy of singer/guitarists Sam Axelrod and Jesse Woghin, on songs like
'Surfjew,' 'Panic at Puppy Beach' and 'Chocolate Windchimes.'"
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"Maybe it's that they're from the humble Midwest, or the fact that the trio isn't afraid to take a sharp left turn on the musical highway just when the world was
pigeonholing them as post-punk, but some gut feeling inside us says this is one of those indie rock acts you might actually want to take note of. All That...
steers clear of the glossy finish preferred by the Bloc Partys and Futureheads of the world, opting for a raw, slightly imperfect feel that's more reminiscent of
Mom and Dad's garage than a giant arena, which is what the genre is supposed to be about anyway."
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"There'll be a new Modest Mouse album any day, but for those of you who can't wait, there's the second album from Chicago trio The Narrator. Lead singer/songwriter
Sam Axelrod clearly shares the Portland band's penchant for angular guitar rock and quavering vocals. 'Son of the Son of the Kiss of Death,' 'SurfJew,' and 'Breaking
the Turtle' are superb tracks."
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7 out of 10 "Much like Oxford Collapse's Remember the Night Parties, All That to the Wall is a straight-out disgruntled dance-in-place exorcism
of the frustrations of the post-graduation, pre-'normal life' stage. Guitarists/vocalists Sam Axelrod and Jesse Woghin sing of pathos in a very tangible way,
magnetizing, instead of alienating, by combining their lyrical frustrations with melodies constructed in a slyly upbeat fashion. Listening to the pairing of
defeatist lyrics against a dose of Thermals-esque melodies and the charmingly familiar bits of Built to Spill's quirkiness topped with Malkmus/Kinsella vocals,
it's hard not to be taken in by the sheer interestingness of the combination."
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"The Narrator's four members moved to Chicago from Manhattan, Detroit, and Dallas. But they sound like heavy-duty guitar howling Pacific Northwesterners.
Like Built to Spill or Modest Mouse, The Narrator never skips on intensity: It's second full-length album provides glorious guitar breakouts, overlapping vocals,
and knotty riffs that barely subside-except when the group brakes to summon Bob Dylan's 'All the Tired Horses' in a ghostly echo chamber."
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Grade: A- "It's hard to have a sophomore slump when another album is nothing more than another perspective. The Narrator offer the same talent they've
been dishing out all along, but with a new, more cynical look at life's fuck-ups. Without the dark, there is no light. Good thing."
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"Pencil this one in for my top ten of 2007."
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"One of the more standout qualities of The Narrator, and one that ultimately makes this album worth listening to on repeat, is their attitude. With equal parts
punk and alternative, their apathetic view of things is infectious (be that bad or good). With guitar chinks and clinks that could just as easily be strategically
placed, and vocals that push their own limits despite the outcome, The Narrator succeed in pulling you in for the entirety of the album. Not that they really seem to care."
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"On its sophomore effort, the local trio leaves behind the jagged post-punk for a more relaxed sound, but the hooks are as agile and intense as ever."
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"The band's wiry serrated edgy textures and twenty-something angst combine to beautiful effect.... The Narrator could be that band. What band? That band that make you
feel clever and romantic, happy or sad. Not your favorite band ever but the secret darlings you quietly worship and cherish."
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7.5 out of 10 "The coolest thing about Chicago's The Narrator is how they make it seem as if all the songs were written by accident and ended up on an album almost as an
afterthought. Further inspection reveals that the band's nonchalance is actually backed up by solid songwriting and
tight playing. People who were expecting something else than what could be heard on 'Such Triumph', the band's 2005 debut, can rest assured. Because,
while most other bands try to refine their sound by adding tons of stuff their music didn't really need in the first place, The Narrator adds absolutely
nothing but just cranks out another batch of songs. Their brand of lo-fi indie pop is endearing and you can hear the fun they're having just playing their
music. It's like listening to Pavement covering Wire songs or the other way around... doesn't really matter. Just check out 'Son of the Son of the Kiss
of Death', the self-proclaimed hit song 'Surfjew' or the Bob Dylan cover 'All the Tire Horses' and fall in love with The Narrator."
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"A lot of us have been there - we're rambling nicely through life, minding our own business, when suddenly we hit a fork in the road: should we
follow our artistic dreams or be sucked into a suburban nightmare? Chicago-based band The Narrator clearly takes the first route in their brilliant
new album All That to the Wall. They lament the necessity of working ('My job is ruining my life'), getting older ('Last week I turned
25/can't believe I'm still alive/I'm so embarrassed') and becoming like one's parents ('the older that I get/the more I talk about the weather').
Gasp! But we're not in the suburban ranch yet; this is not your mother's pad. This is rock music at its visceral best: a post-hardcore blend of
overdriven guitar and lo-fi drums. It calls to mind the likes of Fugazi, Pavement and Unwound, with a few nods to '80s alterna-pop, including
a nifty allusion to The Cure's 'Primary.'"
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"The self-consiousness in the Narrator's nimble post rock wears a grad-student smirk-whether in ribbing titles like 'Breaking the Turtle' or
in confessing the dour conflicts of the young professional set: 'Last week I turned 25 / I can't believe I'm still alive / I'm so embarrassed.'
But regardless of absurdist framing or inscrutable lyrics, the quality of details-contemplating 'smoking a joint with my kid sis' ('August 32nd')
or god's punishment ('SurfJew')-gives the record a lionhearted sincerity. It's a feat, as is finding the balance between the musicians' old taste
for knotty guitar lines and new instincts as songwriters. The latter is evident in the surprising Dylan cover ('All the Tire Horses') and two originals:
'Son of the Son of the Kiss of Death' and 'Speeding Up the Gang.'"
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Tankboy
"These cats sound like they grew up loving the hell out of Fugazi and most of the other Dischord groups. Guess what? So did I. All That to the Wall is populated
by songs that sound like theyÕre trying to outrun themselves, and listening to it makes me totally bummed I missed them a few weeks ago when the played with Oxford Collapse."
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What to Wear During an Orange Alert
"One of the more standout qualities of The Narrator, and one that ultimately makes this album worth listening to on repeat, is their attitude. With equal parts
punk and alternative, their apathetic view of things is infectious (be that bad or good). With guitar chinks and clinks that could just as easily be strategically
placed, and vocals that push their own limits despite the outcome, The Narrator succeed in pulling you in for the entirety of the album. Not that they really seem to care."
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7.5 out of 10 "...A combination of serrated texture and breakneck intensity is what makes this fairly
conventional album stand out: Instead of the shock of the new, it imparts the shock of the awesome, as it's tough to reinvent a
wheel that's jamming down a rutted road with redlining RPMs. The violence is pyrotechnically garish, and one pictures bending
guitar necks, snapping strings, toppling cymbals, sparking and smoking amps, a sky full of fireworks. For those who miss Up-era
Modest Mouse, with their concussive riffs, prickly harmonics, and canting string-bends, Such Triumph will give you a lot to think
about on your next long drive..." SCAN OF CLIP -
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4 out of 5 "...Unlike most of their Chicago peers, the Narrator are artful without being pretentious. If you're looking for innovation and
accessibility, look no further friend."
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4 out of 5 "...Unfortunately no review will give justice to the
craftiness and passion [Narrator's] debut has to offer. But thanks to The Narrator, the Chicago indie rock scene will never be
the same. Overjoyed with spastic time signature changes and guitar chord jabs that'll pierce through the bone, Such Triumph is a
flurry of beauty and the beast...."
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"Though they hail from Chicago, a town better known for terrapin-influenced post-rock, The Narrator's
impassioned and refined wailings are surprisingly, well, rockin'. With nary a self-masturbatory noodle here nor an
uber-produced timbre there, Such Triumph is driving, straight ahead indie-rock for the flannel-coated masses. On the
excellent 'Pregnant Boys,' cries of 'There's no better reason than no reason at all' express reverently that particular
brand of Midwestern angst previously offered by bands such as Husker Du and Dinosaur Jr, while the muddy undertow of
'Abcdefghijklmnopqrs' conjures images of frozen lakes in January, with winter winds whipping a fine film of ice dust
across the surface." - Alex Posell
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"...the band's energy keeps their debut refreshingly raw whichever way it's sliced. It's nice to
know that some indie rockers still want to, well... rock out and get down." - Matthew Field
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"I love this album. I really do. You what this is? This is hearing an album for the first time and wondering where these songs had been your whole life, as if you
couldn't believe that they hadn't always been right there." - Andreas Trolf
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4 out of 5 "Catchy, melodic but noisy as hell, The Narrator's raw, reckless energy is infectious."
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7 out of 10 "All That to the Wall is scrappy yet loveable, and deserves a place at the table."
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"Put this at the top of your summer reading list, stat."
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"Brash and triumphant, The Narrator blasts out on this album, with chaotic and beautiful material that keeps me coming back for more. Sounding like a more punk
infused Modest Mouse, the low-fi recording grabs all of the right chords as the songwriting stands on its own to declare its unabashed presence.... All songs
change tempo and direction with succinct and precise meaningful momentum, earning a strong kudos from me and solidifying this band in my mind as intelligent
and purposeful. This is a solid album, back-to-front which will remain in my circulation for years to come for hitting so many right notes for me."
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"The first track of The Narrator's freshman full-length album, Such Triumph, descends as a thundercloud would, tentative but daunting,
grumbling but yawning. This lull is followed by a great clap!, signaling a sudden blitz of sound-riotous electric guitar, an aerobic bout of drums, and screamy
vocals that grate the feet, neck and shoulders into full, swaying submission."
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"Stabbing guitars, tempo fluctuations and urgent vocals sell each song that oozes passion rather than lazy, laid back, "I'm too fucking cool" attitude -
which I've been hearing too much of lately.... I'll be listening to Such Triumph over and over in the next few months."
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"Friends, I have been rocked. The Narrator delivered the goods in large amounts, without compromising any style in the process. They play punk rock shaped by
innovation and, more importantly, good songs. And when you have rocking and good songwriting, you really can't lose." - Jeff Terich
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"[Ergot Blues] is a standout track
that reels and crashes as the vocals are half-sung half-wrenched in a suppressed sense of urgency. "This Party's Over" is another
track that deserves a second listen as it leaks out tinges of '90s nostalgia."
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"...These guys mean
it. Their ragged, disjointed, indie- punk is full of the decadence and defiance that bands like the Constantines try so hard (and
fail) to make you believe. But the Narrator doesn't seem as worried about the cover of NME as they are about tearing your neck
muscles up when you can't stop moving your head back and forth for two hours."
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"Life's malaise seeps
through every one of the Chicago- based band's oblique melodies. Despite the fact that the source of The Narrator's angst (offset
perfectly by poppy hooks, coy affectations and an occasional 'woo hoo!') is difficult to discern, the sincerity and vivid imagery
of each song make the sense of doom seem earned."
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"In addition to doubling
as what would make the best soundtrack for an Insound.com television commercial ever, equally strong best-cut-on-the-disc contender
"The Party's Over" positively shines with a healthy dose of equal parts hearty whoo- hoos, Cap'N Jazz-brand vocal histrionics,
tongue-in-cheek martyr posturing, progressive politics and drunken answering machine message snippets."
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Swimmer's Ear Magazine
"Pulling influences from bands from Chicago's past, i.e. Cap'n Jazz, The Narrator have put together an album that doesn't copy the Jazz but improves on it."
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Right Click on Image and Select "Save image as..." to download 300dpi photos
First & Second Photos (pic3 & pic4) by Chris Strong Third & Fourth Photos (pic10 & pic11) by Ryan Russell & MUST be credited upon use
Copyright 2007 Flameshovel Records
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All That To the Wall CD
(DIG041)
Released 05.15.07
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Such Triumph CD
(DIG027)
Released 06.28.05
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Cavaliers 7"
(DIG011)
Released06.24.03
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Youth City Fire CD
(DIG014)
Released 04.06.04
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