The Third Sound - All Tomorrow’s Shadows

These days it is becoming much harder to distinguish where a certain artist is coming from by the sound of their music. It used to be easy. If it sounded ‘very country’ it was quite a safe bet to say the band was American. With exceptions, like Nick Cave for example. But if you were nitpicking, you could guess, and I’m not talking language accents but a specific sound.

If you know beforehand that an album is called All Tomorrow’s Shadows you can guess a Velvet Underground connection and with the title's wordplay reminding you of a Brian Jonestown Massacre album, you would probably start making connections for the fourth outing from The Third Sound.

If you are not familiar with the band, don’t make any presumptions. Either where they’re from, or what they really sound like. You see, The Third Sound is actually a solo project of Iceland musician Hákon Aðalsteinsson, who used to be in Singapore Sling and is currently touring with - Brian Jonestown Massacre.

I guess the first thought to come to mind when you mention Iceland and music if you go by stereotypes would be something akin to Bjork and Sigur Ros, something with electronics, anyway. But then come in the album title and Brian Jonestown Massacre connection. Add to that that this one is on the prolific psych/garage/etc. Fuzz Club label and - you still don’t have the whole picture.

Hákon (and his band) is obviously someone who has a vast music collection. Sure, throughout the album you can hear the ever-present Velvets, BJM psych leanings and bands like The Byrds (“Nine Miles Bellow”) but also the Antipodean connections, not only with Cave-sounding vocals but also with post-punk sounds of The Chills (“New Messiah”).

Iceland or no Iceland, Berlin or no Berlin (where the band resides now), musically it still makes sense. Hákon and the guys are able to present their musical thoughts as a unified line where all those influences make a very listenable blend, that probably sounds even better live.

One glitch though. The album is probably a track too long. I know it was probably fun to have BJM’s Anton Newcombe guesting on the closer “Photographs”, but The Third Sound could have left that one for another occasion, even though the track is in a way a sublimation of all the sounds that can be heard on All Tomorrow’s Shadows. Still, a good, very solid effort.