The Illustrative Violet is a four-piece progressivepPsychedelic indie rock band formed in the Inland Empire, CA. Their debut album Prisms of Light and Last Words is a concept album that follows an unnamed protagonist who is saying goodbye to his lover before his death when ethereal beings appear and take him on a journey through space and time. Crazy, right? I’d have to say the sound of the album pretty much matches that plot line. It was definitely a trip, to say the least.
Most of the tracks sounded like a blend of post-punk and indie rock to me with trippy sci-fi-esque synths and effects mixed with rock beats and guitar solos. I’m a big fan of concept albums in general, and this one didn’t disappoint. Tracks like “Lucid” that was full of layers of electronic sounds and mellow indie rock vocals, and “Spectres” which featured ghostly vocals faded into a spacey backdrop, really made for an interesting listen. I did find most of the songs very similar and they tended to blend into each other. I had to keep checking to see when one track ended and the next one began, but there definitely was a noticeable order and flow even if it was subtle most of the time. A standout track for me was “Gateway” which felt a little different than the others with a darker vibe and a little bit of funk to the beat. Some songs were a bit of a clusterfuck of separate melodies and beats like “Different Space” which felt a little scattered and distracting to me. But others were more formed and polished like “Tesla” which was hazy and unique. My favorite track was “Visions” which felt like ten different songs in one. The vibe and melody kept changing and fading, and although there wasn’t a concrete sound on this one, I loved the constant evolution. Prisms of Light and Last Words was a fun album to listen to. I really loved the blend of experimental psychedelic sounds with the melodies and vocals of indie rock. I can’t say it would be something I’d listen to on a regular basis, but concept albums are usually a special occasion jam anyway. The creativity alone is pretty impressive and I loved the storytelling blended into the songwriting. The Illustrative Violet is a unique band that I’d definitely listen to again.
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