Send "Past Lives " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Pitchfork |
 Though three-fourths of the members of Past Lives are from the scorched-earth screamo/punk-metal Blood Brothers, there's nothing on the group's debut LP that offers a hint to their background. The EP that preceded it, Strange Symmetry, had some more cathartic moments-- as well as singer Jordan Blilie's hoarse, tantrum-in-the-toy-aisle screaming-- but Tapestry of Webs is a clean break from the past.Say what you will about their former band, but by the end of their career, Blood Brothers were anything but one-note. That they've changed gears isn't necessarily a surprise; that they stay in one gear and explore its possibilities is, however. Where the Blood Brothers were a study in extremes, this band and album are marked by quiet tension and gradual builds. The instrumentation has changed as well-- trumpets and woodwinds pop up on several tracks. The group has clearly reconsidered its approach, but nowhere is it more apparent than with the Blilie's singing. Only in the most frayed and frantic moments of songs like "K Hole" or "Hospital White" does he approach the screech of his other projects. Instead he sings on a low, stable register throughout, reaching for actual notes-- and if you've never heard his earlier projects, his voice might take a little getting used to....full text |
| Buddyhead |
| Past Lives “Tapestry of Webs” Suicide Squeeze So if you were into good music at any extended period between 2000 and 2006, you might have heard of a band called the Blood Brothers. If not, think of William S. Burroughs collaborating on a doomed cabaret suite with Drive Like Jehu and your getting close. Or failing that, just set some Chihuahuas loose on a bunch of meat stained, heavily distorted guitars. Now you’re getting it… Well, forget those fuckers. That band dead and buried, they’re history, man! Thing is that good bands, even shitty bands, kinda resemble the ancient Hydra from Herculean mythology: for every one you kill, at least two more slightly shittier ones will pop up. That pretty much the case here; while the guitarist and blonde singer (whose vocal stylings make up the Chihuahua component of the latter analogy) decided to prance off together and form Jaguar Love – just don’t, we won’t go there – while the rhythm section and remaining singer formed Past Lives, who have released two EPs and now a debut, which your reading the critique of now. Everyone up to speed? Good. Ok, so the Blood Brothers this ain’t . They’re sophisticated post-punks now, and you know what that means: no crazy time thingys, no kitschy Wurlitzer breakdowns and absolutely no girlie screaming like some kind of punk drag queen. Of course, these elements were the most fun bits about the ’Brothers so how does this all bode for Past Lives?...full text |
| Olive-music |
| Past Lives are a quartet from Seattle comprised of ex-members from bands such as the Blood Brothers, Shoplifting and Chromatics. Though I’m not all too fond of Chromatics, I would consider myself a member of Past Lives’ target audience. I loved both bands, I’ve been listening to the Blood Brothers for a few years and I consider Shoplifting’s Body Stories one of the most underrated albums of the past decade. Did Past Lives’ debut album Tapestry of Webs meet up to my expectations? Aaaaaaalmost. If you’ve heard their previous EP Strange Symmetry, this may not be very surprising to you. Past Lives aren’t exactly a photocopied reincarnation of Blood Brothers: they’re a bit more reserved, less cacophony and more melodic complexity. That’s not to say that Past Lives have certain musical restrictions and can’t surpass boundaries. Tapestry of Webs makes it apparent that they obviously have the ability to maintain chaotic tendencies but they just choose not to be too self-indulgent. The opener “Paralyzer” works perfectly. A constant drumstick-tapping rhythm, Jordan Blilie singing the oh-so-catchy lyric “She cannot ignore it,” and a rewarding crescendo to put the cherry on the sundae. Afterwards, “Falling Spikes” uses the dissonant-yet-memorable pop sensibilities from Shoplifting along with—is that a saxophone? Perfect! “Deep in the Valley” seems a bit misplaced on the album, however. It doesn’t build into noise or have all that great of a melody either; it’s almost as if it tries to calm down the listener. I don’t see the point in doing that though, because we immediately revisit the energetic saxophone skronk on “K Hole.”...full text |
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