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The Manichean, LOVERS
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Alright, wow. That’s pretty much what flew through my head the first time through The Manichean’s lo...Alright, wow. That’s pretty much what flew through my head the first time through The Manichean’s long-awaited full-length LOVERS, and after further listens, it’s still what rattles around in my brain. Sure, I’ve liked the band’s previous releases (EPs Whispers and Lacerus Rising and eight-song “EP” Sakura) quite a bit, but LOVERS feels like The Manichean’s stepped upwards to a completely different level. I’ve bitched and moaned about finally getting to hear this, and the band’s finally delivered. And yeah, it’s amazing.
By all rights, this shouldn’t work, at least not for me — it should be overweeningly pretentious and too damn arty for its own good. And yet, it’s not. Instead, LOVERS ends up gorgeous and otherworldly-sounding, a thoughtful, intense (but not over-the-top, really, all things considered), lushly layered, swooningly romantic assemblage of sounds. These feel less like songs and more like movements, all parts of the same overarching whole; distinct, but tied together tightly.
Even calling this a “concept album” seems like a disservice, since a lot of that type of album only seems to hang together by the barest of threads. Here, though, there’s a full-on narrative linking each and every song; I won’t claim to be able to parse what the hell it is or what it all means, but it’s definitely there. I’m pretty sure it’s a love story, at its core, and not just because of the album’s title but because of vocalist/co-songwriter Cory Sinclair’s spoken-word/poetry interludes throughout the songs. It’s a story about love and some kind of loss, and hope in spite of it…anything beyond that and I’m really guessing.
Beyond the lyrics, the overall sound of the songs themselves flows organically from one to the next, incorporating lots of up-close, bare-bones (yet still beautifully warm and welcoming) acoustic guitar from guitarist/co-songwriter Justice Tirapelli-Jamail, subtle, melancholy strings and keys, and tight, unhurried rhythms. There’s a lot that reminds me of Jeremy Enigk’s first solo album, Return of the Frog Queen, particularly “Yukimi’s Granddaughter” — both Enigk’s work and The Manichean’s use that troubadour-like guitar tone and multi-layered, almost baroque arrangements, not to mention an overall “mythic” feel to it all.
Of course, the downside to having one coherent sound throughout LOVERS is that sometimes it makes it hard to tell where one song/movement starts and the next ends — there were several transitions where I had to check the player to see which song I was listening to. It’s all dramatic and beautiful, and it all rolls on like a river, pulling you onward to the end.
There are some tracks that stand out, like opener “Amethyst,” which starts off with the sound of wind and water, a desolate coastline somewhere, and swiftly shifts into mournful, elegaic strings, followed by a funereal organ, and then by energetic, stomping orchestral/gypsy rock sounds, building and building until the whole thing’s humming. Or the more straightforwardly “rock” track “Fits Of Chemistry,” which starts off like musical theater, with Sinclair and a female vocalist performing what is essentially poetry, pondering the meaning of it all. As Sinclair declares, “This means something / This rings of something.” “Orchid I” is nicely jangly and hazy, with an oddly ’90s-tinged feel to it; this one sees Sinclair switching back and forth between the spoken parts and actual singing, and it’s a nice changeup.
“Innocence” does a bit of a bait-and-switch, starting off fragile and spacey but quickly shifting gears into proggy, sharp-edged indie-rock, complete with saxophone(!). Then there’s “Limerence,” where the band uses the guitars almost as percussion, underpinning a great, great duet between Sinclair and a female singer whom I think is Asli Omar of The Tontons. A few tracks further on, “Leopards” comes in as a somber coda, almost, despite not being at the absolute end of the album; it’s mournful and hopeful at the same time, and it paves the way nicely for cinematic-sounding instrumental “Melatonin,” which features some awesomely huge drums courtesy of drummer Dylan Tirapelli-Jamail.
By the way, how did I never really notice The Manichean’s dream-pop underpinnings ’til now? I mean, I definitely got the New Romantic-influenced stuff, for sure, and the Talking Heads-like penchant for drama, but if “Laughter…Sigh,” in particular, had popped up on an album by Curve or The Sundays a decade or two ago, you wouldn’t have batted an eye. It’s shimmery like the best My Bloody Valentine tracks, and with a half-buried female vocal that reminds me of the same. To make things even weirder, I’ve heard an earlier version of this song, on Sakura, and even then the dreampop thing didn’t hit me like it does now.
One of the absolute highlights for me is the rainy, dramatic “The Gosling,” one of the longest songs on here at 8:06, primarily because it marks the first time Sinclair really gets to cut loose, vocally speaking, swooping upwards in a masterful, crystalline falsetto. I mean, yes, he’s sung before, on literally every release the band’s done up to now, but this time it really sounds like he ditched caution and just went for it, and the result is incredible. There’re points here where he sounds surprisingly like Coheed & Cambria’s Claudio Sanchez, and that’s not a comparison I’d make lightly.
Sinclair does similarly well, towards the end of the aforementioned “Innocence” — that ending roar/howl is fucking epic — and then again on closer “The Sparrow,” a monumental track that soars and collapses in a shuddering, shattering explosion of art-rock glory. The band as a whole throws caution aside on that one, and the result practically sets the speakers on fire, despite the track clocking in at nearly 10 minutes long.
As I said above, I’ve griped before that LOVERS has been so damn long in coming, but I’m shutting up now. This? This is what I was waiting (and hoping) for, and it’s worth every second.
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The Manichean has a flair for the 'overtly dramatic'
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Many have tried to aptly describe the sound of Houston’s the Manichean. Artful. Epic. Mysterious. In...Many have tried to aptly describe the sound of Houston’s the Manichean. Artful. Epic. Mysterious. Indie. Prog-rock.
Members Justice Tirapelli-Jamail and Cory Sinclair say yes — to all of the above.
“If people are overthinking it, then they’re doing exactly what we want them to do,” Tirapelli-Jamail says. “We want to make people cry, but we want to make people jump up and down. It’s very on purpose, and it’s very in peoples’ faces.”
“It’s hard for even us to explain to people what we do,” Sinclair adds. “The way that I like to describe what we do is overtly dramatic narrative rock. I tell people you need to listen to our stuff, and you need to come see us perform.”
There’s one simple word to describe the group’s full-length “Lovers” album — gorgeous. It’s a thoughtful, conceptual collection that follows the story of a pair of lovers, with the Tontons’ Asli Omar taking on the female role. It’s part of a bigger arc that includes 2010 EP “Whispers.” (The band also issued 2010 remix album “Lacerus Rising” and 2011’s “Sakura” EP.) It’s all helped the Manichean earn a reputation as one of the city’s most creative bands.
“Justice and I are really big about leitmotifs (recurring musical phrases) both in the music and in the words and in thematic elements behind what we do. This album to me, and I think to Justice as well, is all about shedding our influences and becoming better as a result of it,” Sinclair says. “It starts in a very ethereal place, where love is something fragile, yet very serious. The album itself starts to grow and expand and mature as the characters do. By the end, it’s supposed to be about transcending your influences and letting things go so that you can go beyond what you were and achieve things greater than what you were capable of and greater than yourself.”
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Joey Guerra at 10:48 am on November 21, 2012
The Manichean: Matt Adams photoThe Manichean: Matt Adams photo
Many have tried to aptly describe the sound of Houston’s the Manichean. Artful. Epic. Mysterious. Indie. Prog-rock.
Members Justice Tirapelli-Jamail and Cory Sinclair say yes — to all of the above.
“If people are overthinking it, then they’re doing exactly what we want them to do,” Tirapelli-Jamail says. “We want to make people cry, but we want to make people jump up and down. It’s very on purpose, and it’s very in peoples’ faces.”
“It’s hard for even us to explain to people what we do,” Sinclair adds. “The way that I like to describe what we do is overtly dramatic narrative rock. I tell people you need to listen to our stuff, and you need to come see us perform.”
There’s one simple word to describe the group’s full-length “Lovers” album — gorgeous. It’s a thoughtful, conceptual collection that follows the story of a pair of lovers, with the Tontons’ Asli Omar taking on the female role. It’s part of a bigger arc that includes 2010 EP “Whispers.” (The band also issued 2010 remix album “Lacerus Rising” and 2011’s “Sakura” EP.) It’s all helped the Manichean earn a reputation as one of the city’s most creative bands.
“Justice and I are really big about leitmotifs (recurring musical phrases) both in the music and in the words and in thematic elements behind what we do. This album to me, and I think to Justice as well, is all about shedding our influences and becoming better as a result of it,” Sinclair says. “It starts in a very ethereal place, where love is something fragile, yet very serious. The album itself starts to grow and expand and mature as the characters do. By the end, it’s supposed to be about transcending your influences and letting things go so that you can go beyond what you were and achieve things greater than what you were capable of and greater than yourself.”
There’s been a big buildup to “Lovers,” including single-listening parties and a theatrical presentation at the Alley Theatre.
Sinclair: We started pre-production for this album two years ago. We started recording it in October of 2011. We’ve been sitting on all the tracks for so long. Throughout the process of bringing everything together, we just had all these different ideas that we wanted to come to fruition and realized that we had enough time to accomplish these things. From a local perspective, it seems like things go over a lot better if you build some kind of buzz. Everything seems to develop better.
Tirapelli-Jamail: With this piece of work specifically, “Lovers,” it’s become such a big project to each of us. It became bigger and bigger as we worked on it. I felt like it became necessary, to Cory and I, to release it in pieces to give people a sense of what we were about to go for as opposed to just dropping it all in their laps at once.”
Did you know from the beginning this would be a big project?
Sinclair: That’s something that we didn’t intend. But everything just kept building and growing. We were actually thinking it was going to be an EP. It wasn’t going to be called “Lovers.” Basically, through pre-production, we realized we had much more to tell. This will probably be the biggest thing we do for several years to come. There is a swerving narrative throughout the entire thing. We wanted it to be that big, so we decided to take as long as possible.
Where were the musical and lyrical concepts born for the album?
Tirapelli-Jamail: These are songs that Cory and I wrote anywhere between three and five years ago. It’s not teenage, exactly, but it’s young for us. We’ve made alterations, but it’s still sort of based in a world of how each of us felt when we were younger. I feel like it’s sort of cathartic to be able to get that piece of work off our chest.
Is the seriousness of the sound an extension of your offstage personas?
Sinclair: What we do is supposed to be intentionally dramatic. We can get so much of this emotion, and often times these dark things, off of our chests through the music and the performance aspect of things. When we’re onstage, we’re 100-percent serious. We’re not joking around. But we’re lighthearted guys. We joke about literally everything.
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Q5 with The Manichean
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Cinematic, poetic, and audaciously creative, The Manichean are one of those bands that “Brings Balan...Cinematic, poetic, and audaciously creative, The Manichean are one of those bands that “Brings Balance To The “Rock” Force.” Star Wars, anybody? Trust us. Cory Sinclair and Justice Tirapelli-Jamail, the nucleus of the group, have seductively discovered a way to appeal to “lovers” of poetry, cinema, and music.
Indie Loop was privileged enough to preview their upcoming album, “Lovers,” which encompasses poetic, storytelling and some of the most amazing, climatic music we’ve heard in a long time. They effortlessly synchronize melodic tones while adding touches of narrative lust into their songs. “Lovers” isn’t an album to be heard, you have to dim the lights, grab a bottle of wine, and experience “The Manichean.”
IL: There’s a poetic, theatrical panache to The Manichean sound, what inspires it?
Cory Sinclair – Overtly dramatic narrative rock, that’s what we do. Our influences are composed of films and the works of our favorite playwrights and red wine and we enjoy creating epic and opulent stories with which to share with others through poetry and music and other such beautiful things. So yes, that panache certainly bleeds through.
IL: What’s the story behind your newest album title, “LOVERS”?
CS - The story could be anyone’s, as spoken from their own lips. Young love, like a religion, can be all-consuming and overwhelming, as it should be. This is one of those stories.
IL: What are some of the biggest challenges of being an independent band? (self-producing, marketing, etc)
Justice Tirapelli-Jamail – The tediousness of having to do every job ourselves, especially when I myself am not very good at half of the jobs that need to get done, has proven the most difficult for me. Figuring out the managerial aspects of the band, putting together tours, attempting to garner attention from new listeners and press, these are all things I’ve had to learn as we’ve gone along. I’m not a business-minded person, which has made it more difficult for me to figure out some of the less art-associated albeit necessary factors that go into having a successful band. Now it’s just figuring how much time should be put into those aspects and then spending twice as much time on them.
That, and keeping Dylan (drummer) clothed when we pass by pet stores. He’s got a thing for the reptile exhibits.
IL: If your creative work were edible, what would it taste like?
CS – What a silly question! It would obviously taste like Batman.
JTJ – This is one of the rare topics that Cory and I disagree on, as it would clearly taste like a Thanksgiving dinner cooked by Xander Berkley.
IL: What are your plans to accompany your new album release?
JTJ - We’ve got two solid weekends planned for our release. This Friday, Black Friday, we’ll be having an advance release of LOVERS at Cactus Music, along with an in-store acoustic performance of some of our more tranquil songs off the new album. Our big, formal release for LOVERS will be the following day, this Saturday, at Warehouse Live. Bang Bangz, Mobley, Alkari, Night Drive, and Portal Walker are all going to be performing and helping us celebrate the evening as well.
Then, next weekend, we’re having an album release in Beaumont at Tequila Rok with Bang Bangz, Purple, and We are Wombat on Friday.And on Saturday, we’ve got another special in-store acoustic performance at Heights Vinyl that we’re very much looking forward to.
Then we go back to doing the same thing we do every night. Trying to take over the world.
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LOVERS
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Back in June of this year, The Manichean presented the theatrical version of their new and upcoming ...Back in June of this year, The Manichean presented the theatrical version of their new and upcoming cd, LOVERS, at the Alley Theatre. This intimate gathering of Houston’s local scene supporters and music lovers witnessed one of the most unique performances I have ever seen. I caught up with Justice Tirapelli-Jamail and Cory Sinclair of The Manichean to get their thoughts on the performance, just before their CD release party happening June 24th at Warehouse Live.
Lauren Ignited: How do you think people perceived the show prior to seeing it? Do you think they understood what they were going to be a part of?
Justice Tirapelli-Jamail – I highly doubt that anyone not involved in the production knew what to expect. We let out little hints about certain aspects of what would be presented, as well as the people we would be collaborating with, but I don’t think anyone went into the show with a solid idea of what they would experience.
Cory Sinclair – I feel as though we achieved the proper amount of subterfuge prior to people seeing it; those who chose to attend didn’t quite know what to expect but placed their faith in our abilities to achieve something truly unique.
LI: What did your band mates think of the idea?
JTJ – They were all very excited about it. Each and every one of us was constantly aware of the fact that no one has ever been able to do anything like this before. I believe that was a driving force in what made us all strive for perfection. Each member of the band took the performance as seriously as the next and I think that played a major part in how we were able to communicate everything effectively.
CS – They are the flesh of the whole “show.” We couldn’t do this without them.
LI: How closely connected are your experiences to the album itself?
CS – The experiences described on the album are the poetic interpretations of actual events that have occurred in my life. Every piece of fiction that I write has ties to my personal life, some more so than others. From a lyrical perspective, LOVERS is the most literal and revealing work that I have ever shared. I appreciate peppering the myths we create with vague imagery that is open to broad interpretation but for this, for LOVERS, I wanted to draw from my writings over the last ten years and keep that myth close to the heart and through the process, perhaps more accessible to others. I had to get this story out because it’s the story of different types of love in my youth, and I had to get past that so Justice and I could achieve greater things with more depth and meaning. You have to shed your influences sometimes; you have to shed your soul.
LI: Which song means the most to you from the album?
CS – In the way of casualties I love “Leopards.” In the way of pride then “The Gosling.” In the way of possibilities, “The Sparrow.”
JTJ – I can’t pick just one song to be my favorite. I know that’s a bit of a copout answer but it’s the truth. So there you go.
LI: What emotions did you have at intermission? Were you pleased with your performance?
CS – I was elated during intermission, but for however confident I am with everything that we do, I am equally self-critical under circumstances such as those.
JTJ – I felt like a kid. I was giddier than I can remember being in a long time and I just wanted to hug people. It wasn’t even over yet and I already felt this adolescent pride in what we had done. All at the same time we had to stay focused on the fact that we were only halfway through the whole thing. It was both the longest and shortest fifteen minutes of my life.
LI: Explain more about why the girl left with the Sparrow.
CS – In our fiction the Sparrow represents an internal understanding of what lies ahead. She leaves Him but is escorted by the Sparrow and then the memory of Her changes form after that. She returns and has her say during the song “Limerence,” and it’s painful but necessary. At that point someone’s life should be about harnessing memories for positive transformation, regardless of the pain.
LI: Explain more about the line the Sparrow drew on your head.
CS – A symbol of transcendence, a mark for all to see and for the character of Him to wear.
LI: What do you want to say to everyone that attended?
CS & JTJ – We love you so much through kisses and cuts.
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Video Time: The Manichean
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And last but definitely not least, there’s the most recent of the bunch, The Manichean‘s brand-new v...And last but definitely not least, there’s the most recent of the bunch, The Manichean‘s brand-new video for new song “Leopards,” off forthcoming album LOVERS. Like I think I said recently, those Manichean guys (Justice Tirapelli-Jamail and Cory Sinclair, specifically) don’t do things halfway, and they certainly haven’t here, crafting a gorgeously-textured, stunning audio-visual poem that marries Sinclair’s words with Tirapelli-Jamail’s delicate, fluid guitar work and visuals that wouldn’t seem out-of-place in a Radiohead video.
I won’t claim to have any fucking idea what’s going on here, except that there’s lots of pointy objects, there’s running in the woods and mud and blood, and a cemetery, and a whole lot of somber, thoughtful, elegaic quiet. Wow.
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Live: The Manichean share their vision with a triumphant performance of their new album LOVERS
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ALLEY THEATRE — 6/16/12: With three EPs (one of which features remixes of their epic single, “Laceru...ALLEY THEATRE — 6/16/12: With three EPs (one of which features remixes of their epic single, “Lacerus”) under their collective belts, The Manichean boys — Cory Sinclair, Justice Tirapelli-Jamail, and their capable entourage of musicians — are not the young upstarts that I met three years ago (almost to the day, actually) at The Meridian.
Though they wowed me with that first performance, I’ve seen them grow and mature through gigs and tours and the EPs they’ve released, always taking steps forward to be original — nay visionary — and doing it all on their own, with no record label to limit them. They are Houston’s most unique band, and one of a handful of Houston bands that I recommend to friends in other cities.
The Manichean seem to relish the fact that most people have a visceral reaction to them. Some critics love them, while others roll their eyes at their brand of drama-rock and the emotions they wear like tattoos on their arms. But The Manichean won’t change who they are to please a potential fan-base. They don’t watch the polls. And that “we are who we are” attitude has endeared me to what they’ve been doing for the past three years.
It culminated with Saturday night’s performance of their upcoming album, LOVERS. It was a seamless (apart from a short intermission) performance of their new album. I have to admit, I’m not usually good with surprises. Oh, how I wish I’d had the album ahead of time so I could’ve familiarized myself with all of the ins and outs of the songs and their order. But the way the new songs they’ve been performing lately fit together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle has been a guarded secret up until Saturday. It was like The Manichean were trying to teach me to enjoy life’s little surprises! And enjoy, I did.
There were no pauses in their conceptual performance. The audience had to force their way in with applause. Cheering them on was the only respite we got from the high-wire marvel going on below. All the while, my brain was trying to make sense of the sensory overload. Just as their lyrics are obtuse, so was the dream-like, almost ceremonial and spiritual display they presented us.
There was Cory Sinclair, the protagonist of our dream. He wove his way in and around the theater as he united the audience as one body yearning for success for him and his ensemble in winning the affection of Asli Omar (of The Tontons), the beauty and object of Cory’s desire. What perfect casting, boys; most love songs are written about the Asli Omars of the world.
Condensed to its essence, it was the classic story of boy-meets-girl, told through the prism of a music video performed in front of a live audience. At times I felt like I was watching the MTV of old, and vague memories of the video for “Take On Me” by Aha came to mind. But it was the portrayal of pain and rejection that caught the majority of my imagination, taking me back 25 years when that kind of pain and rejection stung me for the first of many times.
Musically, and in the concepts of their songs, The Manichean seem to borrow from The Smiths — my favorite band of 25 years ago! — on their new album. It’s the sound of The Smiths through the lens of musicians who have listened to their share of At The Drive-In. But I must correct myself by admitting that labeling the music belies the emotions that The Manichean captured with their beautiful performance. It feels like they have given their entire selves over to this album, and they confidently and rightly defy any categorization a critic such as myself may thrust upon them.
In the end, there is no happily ever after, nor is it a tragedy for Cory and the other members of The Manichean. Though the live performance of the album was triumphant, just like life it leaves us with the anticipatory feeling of “what’s next?,” and thank God for that! What’s next for these musicians is a page-turning mystery. I, for one, can’t wait to read the next chapter.
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The Manichean Get Classy at the Alley
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The Manichean is one of Houston's best claims to pure experimental genius in the realm of music. Cor...The Manichean is one of Houston's best claims to pure experimental genius in the realm of music. Cory Sinclair and Justice Tirapelli-Jamail have left an unbroken trail of brilliant albums behind them, each one redrawing the line between pop and art.
Now the band is upping the ante on their stature significantly by performing their newest record, LOVERS, not at a rock club, but on the boards of the Alley Theatre. Chatter couldn't let something like that happen without getting an explanation.
Chatter: What made you decide to perform at the Alley?
Justice Tirapelli-Jamail: We've always wanted to do something of this caliber, but were never presented with the opportunity to do so. Cory and I aim for each of our performances to be these big, theatrical affairs, so in that respect it feels perfect.
Cory Sinclair: I have been a stage actor my whole life and have always respected, desired and perhaps coveted the Alley Theatre, the breadth of their work and quite simply their presence. I left the craft of theater just over five years ago when Justice and I began working together, but the draw of its stage still weighs heavy in my heart.
The chance to not only perform at the Alley but to do so on our own terms, with Justice's music and with my own words, was too strong, too perfect. It's not only the best theater in Houston or Texas but the entire region, and one of the absolute best in the nation.
C: What about LOVERS makes it more appropriate for the theater than, say, AvantGarden?
JTJ: A few years ago, we would be given the option to do a show and our approach would be to say, "We have this place we've been asked to play. How do we transform it into the best possible space for what we do?" Now we're approaching each show with the question of, "Is there any chance that this could be less bombastic and intense and affecting than our previous performance?"
If the answer is yes, then we don't play it. It's tempting to play any show that sounds like fun, which was what we did for a very long time, but at some point we've had to become better about passing on the shows that can't be as good or better than the last one.
C: How did you get the Alley to agree to it?
CS: Well, quite frankly no one has ever done this before. They've had low-key musical performances on the Neuhaus Stage, such as acoustic or classical shows, but never a theatrically oriented rock show. The logistics of creating such a thing in their smaller but still sizable black-box theater seemed to intrigue them very much.
I also believe they're looking forward to exposing their unique and refined space to people who might never have attended a show at the Alley.
JTJ: And, to be honest, this whole thing was my dad's idea. He has produced plays in the Neuhaus stage for a long while now and came to me one day asking why we hadn't thought of it sooner ourselves.
C: What about this performance will be different from a rock-club performance?
JTJ: Our idea has been to create the experience of going to see a badass rock show and at the same time completely repurpose it. We have guests that everyone will know joining us, like Asli Omar of the Tontons, Tyagaraja, Two Star Symphony, Mills-McCoin. There's a 20-foot-wide set piece for Cory to go crazy on, professional audio and video, and what we hope will become an uncertain yet intimate relationship between ourselves and the audience.
People won't have the common comfort of leaving during a slow song to get a drink, because aside from a 15-minute intermission and the Alley's kind allowance of drinks in the theater this will be much like going to see an actual play. I'm hoping it will be unfamiliar and shocking but also awe-inspiring.
C: As one of Houston's best avant-garde bands, how receptive to weirdness do you think this city is?
CS: Houston is much more receptive than other major cities, I'd say. This concept ties in with the overall nature of how music is perceived and championed in this city; there aren't many standards by which many local musicians create or perform their efforts.
The lack of a truly established "scene" or "center" leaves room for many, varied works and a myriad of interpretations. This is ideal for artists in our position now, but ten years from now Houston will be a force with which to be reckoned musically, and with such clout you inexorably inherit expectations passed down from previous successes.
We are capitalizing upon the current status quo, and that is all for which any artist of their respective epoch can hope.
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The Manichean New Album Debut at The Alley Theatre
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Montrose-born alternative/avant-garde/progressive rock musical group, The Manichean, intertwines ele...Montrose-born alternative/avant-garde/progressive rock musical group, The Manichean, intertwines electric energy, occasional spoken-word poetry, and overwhelming confidence in each given performance. The Manichean, theatrical by nature, describes their music as telling a story of death and resurrection, love and insanity. If you haven’t heard already, they have a thrilling performance to look forward to this weekend. One of the masterminds behind this innovative group- band manager, songwriter, and guitarist Justice Tirapelli-Jamail- shares their collective excitement about the upcoming performance downtown Houston this Saturday, June 16, at 11pm on the Neuhaus Stage of The Alley Theatre.
Tirapelli-Jamail couldn’t be more excited to see this performance in fruition, and considering he and the other band members have put more effort into this performance than any other, it should be a fully entertaining and stimulating presentation for all involved. Each musician involved in the show will be playing a character with characterization through lyrics rather than dialogue.
The band members are already hard at work preparing for Saturday’s show by setting the stage with a set piece measuring six feet tall and twenty feet wide, which will be lit by a beautiful light arrangement. The show itself will last about an hour with a fifteen-minute intermission, and will debut their new album, LOVERS, in its entirety, to be officially released on the first of September. Asli Omar of The Tontons and Tyagaraja will also appear at The Alley Theatre as guest singers, and Two Star Symphony will perform before the show and during intermission in the lobby.
General Admission tickets can be purchased for $10, or for $25 you can purchase a General Admission ticket that includes a free 7” vinyl of their new single, “The Swan,” off of the new LOVERS album. The $25 ticket also grants admission to the after party on the fourth floor of the Alley theatre, which will have a cash bar and open terrace.
Tirapelli-Jamail says the opportunity to perform at The Alley Theatre is a dream come true, and that it will not be used as a push towards rock opera, but as a stepping-stone to get The Manichean to the next level (whatever that may be) and to see the full extent of their capabilities.
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Space City Rock Reviews The Manichean's 'Sakura' EP
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Justice Tirapelli-Jamail and Cory Sinclair of The Manichean don’t ever, ever do things halfway, appa...Justice Tirapelli-Jamail and Cory Sinclair of The Manichean don’t ever, ever do things halfway, apparently. At least, that’s the feeling I get after drifting my way through the band’s latest release, Sakura. It was originally intended to be a quick little tide-you-over EP, just a couple of songs meant to whet their fans’ appetite before the band (finally) releases their first real full-length — except that once the two got started, they just kind of kept rolling and rolling, until they had eight new, fully-realized songs on their hands. So much for the “quick little” part…
What they’ve come up with is a delicate, dark, murky-as-night suite of songs that come off like close kinfolk to the quieter tracks off the band’s debut EP, Whispers, treading a line between Radiohead-esque art-rock and Decemberists-like theater-pop while never fully pigeonholing themselves as a knockoff of either. Sinclair is relatively restrained here, keeping his vocals more low-key than they generally are live (and mostly were on Whispers), instead leaning close to the mic to practically breathe the words directly into it. Cohort Tirapelli-Jamail’s gorgeously delicate guitar work’s then able to shift to the forefront somewhat, which is a cool thing to hear — watching the band live, I’ve occasionally felt a little bad for the guy, considering that everybody in the audience is generally paying attention to Sinclair as he roams about the stage, so it’s good to see him step forward a bit.
The album begins with “The Calm,” which isn’t a song, really, but rather a digital-sound recreation of what an oncoming storm might sound like, with colossal, rumbling “clouds” of staticky thunder rolling in off the turbulent sea; it’s interesting, but it’s not much besides an intro. Things move forward as soon as “The Kamenicean” hits, however — the track is murky and mysterious, with Sinclair’s delicate, deliberate words floating serenely out over desperately-strummed acoustic guitar and heavy layers of synth-y sound. “Icarus” is more drifting and melancholy, with the primary focus on a swooning organ sound that makes me think of early M83, at least ’til the vocals step smoothly in two-thirds of the way through, at which point the song becomes almost shoegazer Beat poetry (and I mean that as a compliment, I swear).
Too-brief interlude “Laughter (Sigh)” is gentle and languid, with awesomely driving, fast-strummed guitars that bring to mind an acousticized My Bloody Valentine more than anything else and ground the sweet, airy sound so it can be propelled forward. Title track “Sakura” and follower “Isis” are nearly sisters, both somber and sweet with more minimal instrumentation; on the former, the piano and fingerpicked guitar blends beautifully beneath Sinclair’s whispery vocals, and the latter’s even quieter, if anything, just the vocals and a single, slow-moving, deliberate guitar making its way along. “Frailty” serves as another interlude, this time just whirring/clicking sounds and some kind of unnameable wind instrument — some kind of bagpipes, maybe?
The album ends, appropriately enough, with a cover of Radiohead’s “There There (The Bony King Of Nowhere),” and while I can’t claim it’s my favorite Radiohead song to begin with, I have to say that I think The Manichean’s improved on it here. They strip away the bumping, Björk-y groove of the original, instead relying on just voice and guitar for a devastatingly clean, pure, haunting sound until the halfway point, where Tirapelli-Jamail and Sinclair quietly start leaking the electronicized “storm” sounds from the first track in over the low-key, somewhat foreboding guitar and Sinclair’s ethereal, Yorke-ian vocals.
At the end of the day, Sakura is definitely an intriguing listen, smart and orchestral and unafraid, and it’s a welcome addition to the band’s steadily-expanding body of work. However, even with that in mind, there’s a part of me that’s wanting these guys to just get on with it, already. Whispers felt like a shot across the bow, an excellent, tantalizing, far too brief warning/promise of things to come, while remix EP Lacerus Rising, cool though it is/was, seemed like a little tidbit to tide fans over. And now, with Sakura, they’ve offered up yet another stepping-stone along the way to their long-awaited “real” full-length.
Don’t get me wrong: I’m loving it, seriously. I just want more, damn it all; I want The Big Surprise, what finally happens when the curtain rises on the show.
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Houston Press Reviews The Manichean's 'Sakura'
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Rocks Off has been an apostle of The Manichean ever since we grabbed singer Cory Sinclair by the sho...Rocks Off has been an apostle of The Manichean ever since we grabbed singer Cory Sinclair by the shoulders and demanded he explain to us what the hell a Manichean was. Since then, we have dutifully reviewed every single release he and partner Justice Tirapelli-Jamail have thrown at us, and every single one of them has been an exploration of deep mystery and pure pleasure.
Their music, our locals who have been avoiding them for some odd reason, melds the atmospheric esoteriscims of Tear Garden of the Legendary Pink Dots with the pop poetry of Radiohead. The result is a journey as much as a listening experience, and requires a good deal of contemplation to enjoy to the fullest.
The new album, Sakura, is available for free at the Manichean's BandCamp site, as are all their releases. The short opus serves as a prologue to the band's ultimate creation, the multiple-album epic "Whispers Saga."
"It was initially going to be a two to three song 'single' but as with most things Justice and I work on it expanded somewhat dramatically," said Sinclair.
The most solid thread that continues to sew together the ever-increasing saga is the idea of rising. The saga features a character named Lacerus, an obvious reference to Lazarus who Jesus raised from the dead. The Whispers EP ended with a lyric about the suicide of a phoenix, which also always rises from the dead.
Even the legendary human albatross Icarus makes an appearance in Sakura, though it's clear from the lyrics that Sinclair and Tirapelli-Jamail are interested only in the fact that he flew, not that he fell.
"The concept of rising and 'surpassing' given situations is very prevalent in our music right now, both lyrically and with the actual music that Justice writes," Sinclair says. "I think both Justice and I have certain things in our personal lives that we've been trying to move beyond since we started working on The Manichean more than four years ago, at which time Justice was a teenager and I was in my early twenties.
"It shines through in the music and poetry because we're constantly attempting to better ourselves, which I translate into the story. I wouldn't say there's anything we're trying to escape but rather face head-on; to stare that shadow in the face until it either engulfs you or assumes its proper place - behind and beneath you.
"Experiences are not to be forgotten or escaped but rather manipulated to serve as a prompt, a lesson, a new beginning."
Typical of the music we get from The Manichean, nothing can be counted on to be even remotely normal. Tirapelli-Jamail has branched into the use of much more unconventional sound generating apparatuses than use don previous releases.
He pluck a guqin on Sakura - a bit odd using a Chinese stringed instrument instead of a koto on a song titled after the Japanese word for "cherry." He's also utilized toy pianos on various tracks and has embraced the Korg synthesizer as well. We're sure that Korg will be sending him the uniform of bondage pants, button down black shirt, and stompy boots shortly.
As the "Whispers Saga" continues to unfold, it has become clear that the Manichean is adding and adapting as they go along. You have to expect that when you name your band after a religion who's main claim to infamy was taking other people's gods and saying "mine."
"Is the 'Whispers Saga' concretely mapped out? Well, yes and no," says Sinclair. "Obviously Sakura has become a kind of footnote to the saga and very much a part of it, but that was a surprise to even us. It's a collection of gospels."
Three further releases in the main storyline, each corresponding with a classical element, are expected
For now, we can enjoy the... prologue? Spin-off? There's no real need to but Sakura in a box. It continues the unbroken streak the Manichean has in putting out thoughtful and engaging short albums that perfectly meld the edge and the solid ground of pop. Each song is a wonderful wander through light and dark, and we're already waiting for the next installment.
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Summer Fest Band Series: Interview with The Manichean
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Please explain the name The Manichean and why you chose that to be the name of your band.
Cory: T...Please explain the name The Manichean and why you chose that to be the name of your band.
Cory: To be quite literal, Manichaeism is an extinct gnostic religion which deals with the duality of the human spirit and was very popular about a thousand years ago. The tenets of this faith expressed a distinct need to separate that in life which is evil and that which is good. Read…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manichaeism
Justice and I, however, are much more interested in a coalescence of the two. ‘The Manichean’ is also a primary protagonist in the storyline of our work.
It may additionally be interpreted as singular or plural. I am the Manichean and Justice is the Manichean and the rest of the band is the Manichean.
We are The Manichean.
There are many instruments in your band. How do you keep them sorted and more so, how do you compose with so many instruments included? Do you use a particular process?
Justice: I feel as though a lack of any sort of process more than anything else is what provides me with the space necessary for such large pieces of music. I’m usually interested in many different instruments at any given time, but to the same notion I hear each instrument separately. I’ll generally begin with a guitar part, or a bass part, or an organ part and then build from there. Once I have the foundation the other instruments just sort of chime in at their own pace. Eventually what I’m left with is a piece large enough for me to bring to Cory for us to grow with and change. The songs are never really finished though. I’m never quite happy with them. As we change and we evolve, so does the sum of each of our parts.
What is the best and worst thing about being a Houston based band?
Justice: The best thing about being a Houston based band is that as a music and arts culture we have finally begun to truly come into our own. It seems as though a renaissance has been recently sparked. Nowhere else have I found this to be more true than in Houston.
Cory: And the worst thing about being a Houston based band is that this is all something that the rest of the world has yet to realize… But perhaps that’s also the best thing.
What band (or song) are you most embarrassed to have in your music collection?
Justice: Our cover of ‘Seventh Dream of Teenage Heaven’ by Love And Rockets. It’s on iTunes. Check it out… Shameful…
Who are you looking forward to watching perform at Summer Fest 2011?
Justice: HEALTH.
Cory: HEALTH.
Watch this HEALTH video right now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toG4bHjPLEU
Love,
~The Manichean
See The Manichean perform live at Summerfest
Day 1
Stage: 29-95
@ 1:10
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The Manichean Head Out West
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Damn…I am so far behind on the ever-growing pile of local music-related happenings I keep meaning to...Damn…I am so far behind on the ever-growing pile of local music-related happenings I keep meaning to post about that it’s not even funny. sigh. I got word on this one tonight, so I figured I’d post while the, erm, iron is hot. Or something.
Anyway, it seems that local drama-rock gang The Manichean will be shortly bidding our fair city adieu for a bit, heading westward from here to hit western Texas, Arizona, and California before swinging easterly back through Nevada and Arizona again on their way back home. They’re calling it their “Hesperian Tour,” naturally, in a bit of Latin/Greek cleverness…
They’re still working on their forthcoming full-length, Lovers, but in the meantime, they’re taking their grand, epic, theatrical breed of rock majesty out on the road. Wish ‘em luck, and if you happen to be in any of the cities over there on the right, definitely check ‘em out — I’ll grant that they’re probably not everybody’s cup of tea (fans of The Decemberists, pay attention), but to me, at least, they’re absolutely mesmerizing live.
Before they go, though, us Houstonians can check ‘em out at their official tour kickoff show, to be held Wednesday, July 20th up at Fitzgerald’s. The show will also feature intriguing Austin-dwellers Mobley, local instro-monster-rock duo Female Demand — who, I have to say, are also mesmerizing live — Vipers, who apparently used to be known as “Outer Heaven” (which I happened to write about recently for our little FPSF preview thing), and electronic closer Portal Walker, who sounds pretty neat.
Details: free for the of-age set, $5 for the young’uns, and the doors open at 8PM. Go and buy the gang a (nonalcoholic, just for safety’s sake) round for the road…
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Houston Press Reviews The Manichean's 'Lacerus' EP
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The Manichean is gearing up for their first full-length release next year. In the meantime, they wil...The Manichean is gearing up for their first full-length release next year. In the meantime, they will be releasing a new EP, Lacerus Rising, as appropriately bizarre as the excellent Whispers tonight at Avant Garden.
In a way, the EP serves as a trailer for the longer release Houston's weird-music aficionados have been impatiently waiting for; it's a collection of remixes of Whispers standout "Lacerus." That's something of a simplification, as the each of the artists who contribute have attempted re-imaginings rather than simple manipulations in pursuit of better dance tracks.
Vincent Priceless has, for instance, taken the upbeat progressive-rock original and turned it into something right off of Nine Inch Nails' The Fragile. It's a Lynchian exploration of the deepest depths of an audio oubliette, and we'd be lying if we said we didn't sometimes prefer it to The Manichean's original.
Also of considerable note is the 8-bit rendition done by Will Schorre. Schorre has cobbled the atoms of every awesome Mega Man track to make "Lacerus" less of an epic tale and more into the best damn mini-boss fight score we've have ever heard. Never before have we been so sorry that we didn't have a vampire killing whip and a handful of evil pixels to punish.
The question that Rocks Off was most keen to ask though is who exactly is Lacerus? Why does he rise? And most importantly, what's so damn special about him that he deserves a whole EP of variations on his tale by the current kings of Houston avant-garde?
The biography of the character has a great deal to do with the fact that The Manichean as a band also considers The Manichean as a separate sentient entity. The Manichean is a protagonist on a quest, and Lacerus is the Man in Black who flees across the desert from him.
The original song detailed the crossing of paths between the two characters, with the middle bit symbolizing Lacerus rising from the grave.
"Lacerus the man shares a kinship with the biblical figure Lazarus in that they are both revenants; ones who have returned from the dead," says The Manichean's Cory Sinclair. "Lacerus, however, was a terrible man who did unthinkable things and suffered an equally terrible death.
?"He was young and wealthy and lived in the 19th century. He has returned for something, but we are not yet certain of what that is. Years from now, after the completion of the 'Whispers Saga,' we shall record an album detailing Lacerus's life and subsequent return. It is going to be a very dark and visceral tale that is already in development."
Until then, Houston will have to be content with the bits that The Manichean has released for our perusal. Luckily, the band has at least given us a visual representation to go along with the aural one in the form of a painting done by Brandon Hancock of Scattered Pages. Arrogant and brutal, the subject's eyes have an annoying tendency to follow you around the room.
The EP will be released at Avant Garden tonight. Attendees are asked to please dress in black, white, and red - Lacerus' chosen colors. Will Schorre, Vincent Priceless, and others responsible for the EP will be on hand to personally perform their work, and The Manichean also plans to showcase further new material.
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Next Album from The Manichean Entitled 'LOVERS'
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Soooooo.... The Manichean is a sinister group of musicians whose entire approach to music is detrime...Soooooo.... The Manichean is a sinister group of musicians whose entire approach to music is detrimental to the mental well being of any civilized being.
We like them. A lot.
So far, they've had a stellar year, having snatched up an HPMA nomination for Best Progressive Rock. If the droning, horn-laden, spooky shit they infect you with counts as progressive. It's as good a label as any.
But vocalist Cory Sinclair emailed us earlier this week to inform us the Manichean is heading in a new direction. Every journey starts with a single step, and this journey begins with pizza. The Manichean will debut songs from their upcoming album Lovers Saturday night at Late Night Pie in an acoustic set.
"It's such an unexpected venue and it's in the Montrose and we get free pizza and beer, so why not?" said Sinclair.
Included in Sinclair's email was a track from the album called "Laughter (Sigh)." In the past, we've described The Manichean as a Sith counterpart to the ethereal Tyagaraja - just as philosophically-minded, but infinitely darker.
"Laughter" is something entirely new for the band, much brighter, with Sinclair's voice almost angelic over the simple strum of a guitar.
"[It's] a song that we've held on to for a long time, and a good reflection of what's to come with Lovers," says Sinclair. "So the light of which you speak has always been there, we just choose to adjust its luminosity as we see fit.
"Some examples of narrative themes for the next album are limerence and breathlessness, so a lot of it will be rather ethereal, soaring or just lingering in the air. There are, however, always consequences to prolonged states of passion or infatuation, the results of which can drop you for flying too close to the sun, or burn you for staring directly at it."
The Manichean plans to Lovers and release it... well, who knows, but Rocks Off can't wait to can't sleep after listening to it. In the meantime, they'll take the stage at Late Night Pie exactly one minute before midnight. Tomorrow night.
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Dryvetyme Onlyne Reviews The Manichean's 'Whispers' EP
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Much like The Manichean’s celebrated live shows in its hometown of Houston, TX, the Whispers EP jum...Much like The Manichean’s celebrated live shows in its hometown of Houston, TX, the Whispers EP jumps right into your face from the very beginning. “The Manichean” is a 83-second track that introduces the band’s ramshackle, gypsy-folk-on-mescaline aesthetic as violins, horns, postcore drumming, vigorous guitar strumming, and the woosh of melodramatic vocals fill the air. From there, the atmosphere dips down to a slightly creepy slow burn with “The Unfortunate Circumstances Surrounding Zoe” – theatrical spoken word sets the stage as arty indie-folk builds from ghost story territory into a mid-tempo, dance-around-the-campfire jam. The youthful octet hits its real stride with “Lacerus,” a whip-smart three-minute track that calls to mind mewithoutYou, especially in how the mood and tenor of the song achingly rises and rises to a climax it never quite achieves.
It’s only when “The Baptism (Of Water, Of Desire, And Of Blood)” kicks in do we hear where the prior song was headed. This twelve-minute finale ebbs and flows with pain-staking precision (both technical end emotional) between rich elegiac sections and bursts of rapturous energy. If it sounds like I’m describing a religious experience, it’s because the music of The Manichean definitely possesses those qualities in spades, specifically when Cory Sinclair introduces some heady lyricism that smacks of mysticism of the Catholic and old-world pagan varieties. Yet, while I appreciate the ambition inherent to writing a multi-layered paean of this nature, I would rather the band have broken up this track into two or three sections so that the listener might better absorb and interpret where the band is going with the tempo and style shifts.
That being said, I was quite impressed with The Manichean’s ability to harness the passion of its live performances into recorded format. The band becomes a living organism on stage, drawing into itself at times before exploding in a torrent of glorious song, much like a roving band of minstrels conveying the power, weight, and truth of the old stories through music. The Whispers EP definitely whets my appetite for more of what this group might have to offer Houston, TX (and the rest of the world).
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Space City Rock Reviews The Manichean's 'Whispers' EP
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Music or theater? That’s the conundrum that hits me most frequently when listening to The Manichean’...Music or theater? That’s the conundrum that hits me most frequently when listening to The Manichean’s debut EP, Whispers: is this a band, or a theater troupe? Going by the EP itself, the answer may be “both.” It may be comprised of actual songs, but Whispers strikes me as being far closer to an old-time radio play than an “album,” even of the concept album variety; I can’t help but think of old broadcasts of The Shadow, in particular, with Orson Welles and company evoking mysterious dread and wonder. There’s a strong theatrical sensibility running through these songs, something that pulls the band over into Decemberists territory and blurs the lines between musicians and actors.
Unlike with the Decemberists, however, that line-blurring never makes me cringe and think of frustrated Drama Club geekery; The Manichean also possess the musical chops (and just as critical, the restraint) to be able to craft some truly mindblowing songs. Right from the start of intro track “TheManichean,” with the crackling, booming thunder that quickly shifts into speeding, near-frantic, darkly alluring rock, the atmosphere is uniformly sinister and mysterious, and that feel continues through the rest of the EP. “The Unfortunate Circumstances Surrounding Zoe” is murky and dramatic, and while singer Cory Sinclair’s muttered ramblings before the song proper would probably irk me in another setting, here they work surprisingly well. While it’s definitely a rock band at heart, I love the way The Manichean incorporates strings and horns, layering them delicately in all the right places instead of shoving ‘em right in your face.
The best track here is also the one that’s probably closest to a true “song” — third track “Lacerus” is utterly mesmerizing, a desperate-sounding tale of death and temptation (I think?) spun out over a tense, fast-paced, almost ska-like indie-rock groove, and it’s freaking perfect. The horns sound appropriately mournful, co-bandleader Justice Tirapelli-Jamail (who’s the “music” part of the question I posed at the start of this, by the by) cuts loose awesomely, with nicely edgy guitars roaring along next to the driving, locomotive-like drums. And over it all, Sinclair alternately croons and howls, coming off like Placebo’s Brian Molko minus the sci-fi vibe.
The final track, “The Baptism (of Water, of Desire, and of Blood),” though, is actually a bit of a sneak. Not only is it 12 minutes long, but it makes huge dynamic shifts midway through — the song starts off in an extremely cinematic vein, with rain sounds and slowly-building layers of jangly guitar and strings beneath the enigmatic lyrics, but at about the 5:20 mark, the tempo drops, and a slow, deliberately-picked guitar steps in, changing the mood completely. It pulls the same trick again around 8:30, when the guitars start to jangle and ring out once again, seemingly fueled by the bitterness in the vocals and lyrics, and finally softens into a quiet coda of strings and spoken words (some in a language I don’t recognize; Portuguese, maybe?) before the curtain falls.
Despite the three-tracks-in-one thing, however, it remains utterly compelling throughout, pulling you along as bits and pieces of the story are revealed. And there is an underlying story, apparently, although the band doesn’t give up much in the way of a concrete plot. From what I’ve gathered, this EP is just a first step along the road — I’m eager as hell to see where these folks head from here.
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Artist Of The Week - The Manichean, Not Quite As Mysterious As They Sound
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Each Wednesday, Rocks Off arbitrarily appoints one lucky local performer or group "Artist of the Wee...Each Wednesday, Rocks Off arbitrarily appoints one lucky local performer or group "Artist of the Week," bestowing upon them all the fame and grandeur such a lofty title implies.
Here's the cool thing about the HPMAs: they present you with a very easy To handle list of quality musicians located in the greater Houston area. Mind, it's certainly not an exclusive list, or all-inclusive, but it does well to present you with a list of Can't Miss artists.
On that list, right under the Best Progressive Rock tab, you'll find The Manichean, a -surprise! - moody progressive rock band. (The band is also nominated for Best New Act.) Last October, Jef with One F wrote here that they were "loud and experimental and it's got horns and strings and it's full of weird spoken-word and atmospheric moaning." That's really a pretty good way of describing what it is that they're best at.
So after an encounter at a bar with Cory Sinclair, one-half of the Manichean brain trust, Rocks Off set out to conduct the be-all-end-all interview that would unravel the duo's unironic charm. Instead, the conversation veered towards drug use, birds flying into peoples' eyes and the proper usage of the term "film noir." Good luck.
Rocks Off: You know the guy Mason Verger from Hannibal? Do you think that that could actually happen? Gross.
Cory Sinclair: Right? And the justification for his hideous disfigurement was a popper high - S&M play, popper high, broken glass, in the face, self inflicted, face fed to dogs... scene. The Manichean neither endorses nor frowns upon the casual or erotic use of inhalants, but doesn't that seem a little excessive? To quote our pianist, Austin Smith...
[clap, clap, clap, clap]
"Face is hot, poppers are hot.
Face is hot, poppers are hot.
Face is hot, poppers are hot.
Face is hot, poppers are hot..."
But actually the beautiful thing about Mason Verger's character was the fact that he was always as ugly on the inside as he ended up on the outside.
RO: Please explain "... Zoe" Are you aware of how terrifyingly creepy it is? How exactly do birds flood one's eyes?
CS: "The Unfortunate Circumstances Surrounding Zoe" is a trick story, a ruse. It takes place in different parts of the main character's mind - the central character throughout the plot of the album entire [sic]. We as humans each have conflicting interests and impulses within us as well as different realities that could play out. "...Zoe" is a reflection of those choice realities and the fantasies within ourselves that might not always be proper, or appropriate, or sane.
Yes, it's meant to be terrifying and even insofar as creepy because it is a mirror of what men are capable of, and that is what can be truly horrific. But perhaps there is a measure of redemption in that which is truly tragic. "Zoe" will be our song that most people won't want to listen to, but they know they should.
And the birds we'll leave to your imagination.
RO: Also, are you aware of how strong the "I Absolutely Have To Listen To This Song All The Way Through No Matter What" feeling is throughout? It's impossible to turn off. It's like the audio equivalent of coming across a wacky ski movie at 2 a.m. on Showtime.
CS: Furthermore, yea, either you follow Zoe's fate or not. And thank you.
RO: Ooh, speaking of, you're admitted cinephiles. List the four best wacky ski movies of all time. Or the four best film noir movies? Whichever you prefer.
CS: Mmmm... May we include a hyperlink, 'cause this would be our response, specifically regarding Film Noir:
RO: Is that the proper usage of "film noir"? It seems wrong.
CS: Yes. The grammar is in line and you seem confident in your usage, but was that a proper answer to your cinephile question? Hmmm...
The Manichean, "Lacerus"
RO: You all are up for a couple of HPMAs. How do you feel about that? We ask because when you have a band that sounds similar to how you do, or looks to build that same sort of aesthetic, a lot of times they'll be like, "Oh, we hate that we were nominated. Everything sucks. We hate everything. We're so dark and mysterious." You guys aren't douches like that, are y'all?
CS: We are aware of our aesthetic value and we know just how dark and mysterious we are. We also understand that the Houston Press is now seriously invested in the artists of this city. Whereas our interest in a popularity contest would be counterintuitive, our participation in and promotion of a genuine reflection of Houston music is right where we want to be.
The 2010 Houston Press Music Awards Showcase is going to kick ass. So yes, we are elated to be nominated.
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You Must Experience The Manichean
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I was also starting to think about the other band I needed to go down the street and around the corn...I was also starting to think about the other band I needed to go down the street and around the corner to see...
So I made my leave of Rudyard's and headed down the street and around the corner to Mango's to see The Manichean (pronounced MAH-nuh-KEE-an).? Mango's was holding a Drag Prom, and I missed out on most of the festivities, as when I arrived, the place was starting to look like the end of a party.? But there were the young men and women of The Manichean (7 of them in all), grabbing their gear and heading for the stage, and they were certainly taking the theme of the party to heart.? Singer, Cory, was sporting a little khaki mini-skirt and guitarist, Justice, was in a white prom dress or was it a wedding gown?!? Bassist, Ashley, was dressed up like a boy in a black dress shirt and slacks with rainbow suspenders to accent her ensemble. Drummer, Dylan had balloons for breasts, and gold shorts reminiscent of Rupaul from the "Loveshack" video, and keyboardist, Austin, wore Pippi Longstocking pigtails.? Tonight's show was going to be even more interesting than usual.
If you haven't experienced The Manichean, I strongly urge that you do.? They have glam rock tendencies, but take a lot of their cues from bands in the "melodramatic popular song" category that must have been invented on myspace a couple of years ago because I'd never heard of it before.? To be more specific, you might think Cursive or Arcade Fire, but more sincere.? Between songs Cory recites spoken word pieces that give the entire show a sense of cinematic continuity that few bands in Houston have. ?There's rarely a moment of silence to applaud their efforts. ?They also give me a strange sense of "Am I really witnessing this? Why, yes I am!" which on this occasion was doubly compounded by their dress.? Their set built up to the climactic (and my favorite Houston song of the moment) "Lacerus".? After the set was over (and both Dylan and Justice were nearly nude after shedding their drag costumes) I left for home with the singular thought that The Houston Press, for all the good they do with their awards, had overlooked one of the best bands in town in The Manichean.? Well, HP, there's always next year.
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What's In A Name? Philisophically Minded Houston Rockers The Manichean
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It's a well-known fact that most band names are essentially gobbledygook, but here at Rocks Off we'r...It's a well-known fact that most band names are essentially gobbledygook, but here at Rocks Off we're trying hard to decode Houston's oddest monikers in order to find a little meaning.
Manichean is a - well, it's band that plays music here in town. Define them, you say? Not these easiest task in the world. You could just say that they're awesome, of course, but that's no real illumination of the nature of this local union of weirdness. It's loud and experimental and it's got horns and strings and it's full of weird spoken-word and atmospheric moaning, and most of all it really REALLY rocks your socks off.
Hell, it rocks the socks off of people who have yet to buy socks, but may in the future. But what is a Manichean? We sat down with vocalist Cory Sinclair to find out. It turns out that Manichaeism is an extinct Gnostic religion that flourished until the 14th century. Though never as popular as Christianity or Zoroastrianism, it spread very quickly from Rome to China, and was almost universally feared and suppressed by other religions. Even the Buddhist gave them a hard time, and they usually leave people pretty much alone.
"We appreciate the sense of irony in choosing a name associated with an extinct religion whose primary tenets were meant to teach the separation of Good and Evil," says Sinclair. "We, however, are much more interested in a coalescence of the two, oftentimes describing ourselves as simply 'Sinister Purity.'"
It's an appropriate description for a band whose entire approach gives off a vibe of slightly rotten innocence. Another defining aspect of Manicheaism was its adoption of other religions' deities and demigods for its own ends, including Christ, Jesus H., and the Buddhist bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (pronounced "Have a look at this swallow"). Sinclair and co., are also interested in the co-opting of modern prophets, including in their list Thom Yorke, Herman Hesse, Batman and Free Press Houston editor/Westheimer Block Party majordomo Omar Afra.
"Deity status," says Sinclair, "is a personal thing."
Apparently.
FINAL DEFINITION
The Manichaean: Noun. 1) One that is weird, and yet does not suck; 2) A musician who believes that good and evil should get it on; 3) A follower of the teachings of Mani.
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Come To The Dark Side - The Manichean Is Here
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They might sound all dark and mysterious at first by their name but with each passing day, it seems ...They might sound all dark and mysterious at first by their name but with each passing day, it seems they sure are one of the acts you can’t miss in town. They belong to Houston’s Press quality musicians list located in the area. Progressive, overly dramatic rock with narrative threads plus progressive poppers, as they describe it, is what we listen to whenever you catch The Manichean.
The Manichean is a Texan progressive rock band from Houston, formed in 2001 currently based in the Montrose Area. Founded by vocalist Cory Sinclair and guitarist Justice Tirapelli-Jamail as “A Kerosene Saga” finding people along the way and right musicians they became what is now The Manichean, the band blends in various influences such as Herman Hesse and Ayn Rand writings, The Deftones, Faith no more, Screaming Trees’ Mark Lanegan, Return of the Frog Queen, the album and The Mars Volta.
They are known for their energetic live shows, Kinetic’s band crush of June at the Free Press Summer Fest, Houston Press Awards Best New Act nominee as well as Best Progressive Rock Band in 2010.
The Kinetic Crew bumped into Cory and Justice at the Empire, their office had a nice, interesting, talk and graciously asked them a few questions. These are their answers.
Kinetic Crew: First of all, Why The Manichean?
Cory Sinclair: Obscurity, reverence, intellectual-arousal.
Justice Tirapelli: It’s history, a very dark and interesting one. I also appreciate the fact that it’s both singular and plural... Like me.
CS: Like Justice the person *or* ‘Justice’ the concept?
JT: Correct-ish…
KC: Did you guys all start as The Manichean?
CS: No. Justice and I began as ‘A Kerosene Saga’, but changed that when it was decided to expand and shift thematic elements. Still, the material written while under this former moniker has been adapted to ‘The Manichean’.
KC: Who plays what? Names and instruments?
Current Roster:
Cory Sinclair – Voice, words
Justice Tirapelli-Jamail – Guitar, composition
Ash Big Cash – Bass
Gustavo Roman Navarro Campos Conrado Bazurto Bonilla Butron – Violin / fiddle
Dylan Tirapelli-Jamail – Drums
Sean Spiller – Guitar, keys
Cory Wilson – Saxophone / horns
But we love working with multiple musicians while in the studio.
KC: Do you rather play a certain style/model/brand/color?
JT: I’m not exactly sure if you are referring to the music or a guitar perhaps, (ha ha yes we meant guitar!) but in either case it doesn’t really matter to me what style/model/brand/color it is. If what I’m playing feels right then I’ll keep going with it until it takes me to wherever it chooses.
KC: How did The Manichean come together? How long have you known each other?
JT: Following a bond between Cory and I that started when I was in high school and blossomed into ‘A Kerosene Saga’ (initially just the two of us covering ‘Neutral Milk Hotel’ songs with Cory’s poetry stringing a narrative between them), different people sort of just started falling into the places that they were always meant to fill, making what is now ‘The Manichean’. Upon meeting Gustavo (violin) after a play in which he and Cory had acted, the fiddle was the first addition to the music besides acoustic guitar and voice. Everyone else began working with us within the past two years. Between meeting Ash BigCash (bass) and Cory Wilson (sax) in bars, working with Sean Spiller (guitar, keys) initially as an engineer on our ‘Whispers’ EP, and having an amazing drummer, Dylan Tirapelli-Jamail as my brother and friend, we’ve all just sort of come together in a spectacular way. I speak for both Cory and myself when I say that we couldn’t have better people, or better musicians with us than we do now.
CS: True. And the extended family of musicians we record with are equally as important in their talents.
KC: Do you have a record label?
JT: We are currently unsigned; however we released the‘Whispers’ EP under our own label, ‘Lacerus’. It’s not a working label by any means, simply a visage that made sense to us until perhaps something comes along.
CS: Yes, Lacerus is something of a specter of ourselves.
KC: Any favorite venues?
JT: We have had the pleasure of playing all over the place in Houston and Austin, TX. After a long beginner’s period of taking any shows that came our way we’ve covered a large number of the primary venues in Houston. Helios (now AvantGarden) is amongst our favorite, purely for the intimate feel that comes with such a small room jam-packed full of sweaty people. The space allows for a lot of energy to be thrown back and forth, and we feed off of that.
CS: Definitely AvantGarden, it’s so wonderfully aristocratic-bohemian. I would also be excited to play the new Free Press / Pegstar owned FITZGERALD’S once that’s all up and running. Do read – (http://blogs.houstonpress.com/rocks/2010/07/free_press_summer_fest_team_ta.php)
KC: Crowd's favorite song?
CS: I think that most people’s favorite live song at this point is ‘Lacerus’. It’s powerful and rapid, yet graceful.
JT: I’d have to agree. It feels as though people have really grasped onto that song in a great way. I like that such a large group of our listeners seem to feel so connected to ‘Lacerus’ in particular, seeing as it’s about the darker side of human nature and how awful people can be.
CS: I think we made it so pretty so that people might reflect upon the darker side of human nature. Mmm.
KC: Do you play your own material or any covers?
JT: All original music, all original words.
CS: All original words, all original music.
KC: Who does the writing? What do your songs talk about?
JT: Our writing process is equally collaborative and separated. Generally I'll be playing either alone or around Cory and if something that I end up playing stands out to me then I'll expound upon it. I may record an initial idea on Cory's MacBook as soon as it hits me or I'll work on it for a significant period of time before going to him and saying, "Here are all these parts to an idea I showed you a while back". Once I hand whatever I've got off to Cory, he spends time culminating the vocal melody and the story begins to come to fruition. Each time we get together to create we either start something new or pick up something we’ve been working out on our own and arrange, rearrange and over-think it until we hit a wall or decide we shouldn’t drink anymore. Eventually we feel comfortable enough handing it off to the musicians for them to put their individual stank on it and it becomes what it is. The music tends to occasionally change bit by bit over time. As far as what the songs talk about…
CS: This is the ‘Whispers Saga’, yet to be described across the next three albums. The explanation is in the words… Just read the words.
KC: Producer/band or anyone you'd love to work with?
CS: Clint Mansell (from “Pop will eat itself”), Cedric & Omar of ‘The Mars Volta’, ‘Two Star Symphony’ of Houston.
JT: I would also love to work with the above mentioned and would only add the desire for a visual collaboration with Darren Aronofsky (Director of “Requiem for a Dream”) or upon seeing the cinematography in “Mister Lonely” Harmony Korine.
CS: Harmony Korine?! That would be quite the spectacle. Did you hear about Terry Gilliam directing “Arcade Fire” live at Madison Square Garden? Devine.
KC: Favorite band experience of all times?
JT: Nothing immediately comes to mind, but our performing at Free Press Summerfest in 2009 is definitely up there. It was, and continues to be the largest crowd we’ve played to. I’ve yet to experience anything during any other performance quite akin to it. The ‘Whispers’ EP release show at Mango’s is way up there as well. I felt a lot of love for us at that show.
CS: My favorite times with ‘The Manichean’ come forth with every performance, so I believe every time you see me after a show, or in the studio, that is the best day of my life.
KC: Worst?
JT: Cinco De Mayo of 2009. We were scheduled to play a free show at this warehouse and we were last on the bill AND we were running sound with our PA. I’d watch the bands and between sets I’d walk to the bar just down the street and get a shot and a drink. I did this too many times. Following these mistakes, the band that was supposed to play before us was about to go on and the police showed up to the warehouse following a noise complaint. Naturally, I took this as a reason for me to go back to the bar, besides, the show was cancelled, right? WRONG. They moved ‘Muhammad Ali’ and us to Mango’s to finish the show. To make the rest of a long story short, I was babysat until I effectively trashed our performance and illegally smoked half a pack of cigarettes inside of the bar. Even after arguing with different members of my band about my extremely poor form, I thought the show went great. That is, until the following day when I saw the video footage that had been taken of the show, and me, all night. That was my last show fail.
CS: Yea, dummy… Mine was the time we killed a drifter to get an erection.
KC: What is to you the ‘Music-making process’?
CS: Getting drunk with Justice.
JT: Getting Cory with drunk… wait… whuh?
KC: Ha ha ha
KC: How has your music evolved since you first began playing music together?
JT: Our music has evolved a very great deal since the two of us began ‘A Kerosene Saga’. What began as nothing more than guitar and vocals has transformed into an organism that presents at times up to nine musicians playing live. ‘The Manichean’ has taken every day that it has been alive to grow into what it is now. What Cory and I are striving for is creating something limitless, something without boundaries. At this point we can do whatever we want with the songs and the poems to create whichever form of performance we desire. We try to make it as unexpected and awe-inspiring as we can. If ‘A Kerosene Saga’ was the basic, simplistic seed, then ‘The Manichean’ is the plant that is constantly evolving from that seed and is never the same in any stage it takes on.
CS: Botany reference like ‘Whoa!’
KC: What has been your biggest challenge as a band?
CS: Self-management.
JT: Keeping Cory clothed around children.
KC: What's the ultimate direction for your band?
CS: Cross-art form collaboration, widespread panic.
JT: Napoleonistic domination with taller people in charge and a bigger tolerance to arsenic.
SC: …That sentence is rife with incongruity.
JT: Shut up.
KC: What advice do you have for young musicians who want to form their own bands?
JT: Take every opportunity that comes your way if it gives you the chance to further your music, don’t shy away from something because it’s different or unconventional, and when approaching anything constantly be asking yourself, “What is the overall gain?” If there is no gain there is no point, unless you’re just out to have fun. And that’s cool, too.
CS: Keep writing. Write with as many other people as you can. Write alone. Just keep writing.
KC: When's your next show?
CS: We just performed at the 2010 Houston Press Music Awards
Showcase. The Showcase had over 60 local acts and a few national acts spread across eleven stages along the Washington Avenue corridor. This also was our last performance for a significant amount of time as we will be recording the second part of the ‘Whispers Saga’, our first LP.
KC: Where do we get your music?
CS: iTunes, Bandcamp, CDBaby.com… It’s pretty easy to find.
KC: Anything you'd like to add?
CS: I’d like to say the words ‘At The Drive-In’…
JT: As far as new releases from ‘The Manichean’, we will be releasing ‘Lacerus’ as a single with a number of remixes of the song crafted by several extremely talented Texan musicians sometime this fall – more information is soon to come. In addition to that, we will be returning to the studio toward the end of September to record our next addition to the ‘Whispers Saga’. This LP entitled ‘Your Kerosene Eyes’ will be a prologue of sorts, our Chapter Zero. It will be deeply rooted in our origin and more stripped down than our previous recording. To record this particular album we will be traveling a short distance to Pozo Hondo Studios, a residential recording studio in Round Top, TX. We’ll be staying there for a week to materialize the new full-length. You can expect for the album to be released before the spring of 2018…
CS: Word.
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The Manichean Are An Extremely Unique Band
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The Manichean are an extremely unique band. Their theatrical brand of progressive rock isn't for eve...The Manichean are an extremely unique band. Their theatrical brand of progressive rock isn't for everyone, and the crowd was noticeably smaller than it had been for Something Fierce. Still, those who stayed seemed to be enjoying themselves, especially a quartet of loyal fans near the front of the stage who knew all the words. The Manichean's music is gorgeous and powerful, augmented with a violin and propelled by frequent fire-in-the-belly poetic interludes, and although they may not be the biggest draw at festivals like this one, we're willing to bet a few converts were made.
Once these guys find their audience, they're going to be big. The crowd seemed more and more willing to give themselves over to the experience as the show went on, no doubt helped along by the lead singer's frequent excursions into the audience, one of which had us hastily putting away my cell phone, in the middle of tweeting how much we liked the band, for fear of being seen as not paying attention.
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The Manichean's Complex, Sweet, Busy, Beautiful Sound
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Not real familiar with experimentalists The Cor-Tet beyond the name and what Google gets me, sorry, ...Not real familiar with experimentalists The Cor-Tet beyond the name and what Google gets me, sorry, but openers The Manichean are well, well worth a listen/viewing. Their sound's a little hard to describe, but it's complex and sweet and busy and beautiful all at the same time, like what Sparta might've sound like if they'd digested a whole lot of the Decemberists and gone all cleverly mysterious indie-prog pseudo-folk. Keep an eye out for the band's debut EP, Whispers, coming out pretty dang soon.
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The Manichean's Freaked-Out-Folk-Rock
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Later on that night, we drifted upstairs to watch The Manichean, a band we've been meaning to catch ...Later on that night, we drifted upstairs to watch The Manichean, a band we've been meaning to catch for months now. Suffice to say, it was actually worth the wait, as this eight-person, straight-out-of-art-school collective won us over with its brand of freaked-out folk-rock.
Mixing together a heady collage of sounds and instruments (including tenor saxophone, djembe, and violin), the overall effect was one of a hoedown repurposed for some indie-rock performance art, something straight out of Faulkner-meets-Vonnegut with a much less pretentious version of Conor Oberst writing the score. The lead singer's magnetic personality and spoken word bits almost stole the show, but he always knew how to hand things back to his band, and they were always ready to start romping and rocking through a fresh series of builds and breaks.
supersonic
