02/08/12: The Depreciation Guild - Spirit Youth (2010)

02/08/12: The Depreciation Guild - Spirit Youth (2010)

1. My Chariot
2. Crucify You
3. Blue Lily
4. Dream About Me
5. November
6. Trace
7. A Key Turns
8. Spirit Youth
9. Through The Snow
10. White Moth

     I recently reviewed The Depreciation Guild's first full-length album "In Her Gentle Jaws". I enjoyed it and also mentioned that I planned on checking out this one as well, so I'm just going to keep this short. I really did not like this album. The reason I fell in love with these guys was their use of chiptune sounds and on "Spirit Youth", that attribute is almost completely missing which leads to a boring album. The album opens with a chiptune melody that ended up being my favorite based on that alone. After the first track the chiptune sounds are missing. If you listen VERY closely you can hear it in the background which just doesn't cut it. You put the reason I listen to you deeply hidden in the background I lose interest. This album was basically a shoegaze album. Its a genre I'm not super interested in. I find it boring and the only reason I made an exception for these guys was due to their use of chip sounds. I think I can stop caring about these guys because they abandoned why I loved them. (039)

02/02/12: The Depreciation Guild - In Her Gentle Jaws (2007)

02/02/12: The Depreciation Guild - In Her Gentle Jaws (2007)

1. In Her Gentle Jaws
2. Sky Ghosts
3. Darklooming
4. Butterfly Kisses
5. Digital Solace
6. A Room, A Canvas
7. Parasol Parachute
8. Water Window
9. Nautilus
10. Heavy Eyes

     The Depreciation Guild is one of my favorite chiptune bands. This duo make shoegaze music with a chiptune synth touch. It really does end up being a good combination. I have definitely listened to this album before, but I probably haven't listened to it since around the time it came out. I decided to give myself a bit of a refresher with this album before i go into their full length follow-up within the next week or 2.
     This was The Depreciation Guild's first full-length release after their free Nautilus EP on 8bitpeoples.com.  "In Her Gentle Jaws" is a solid debut and one of my favorite uses of chiptunes. When I was first getting into chiptunes, these guys caught my attention due to their entertaining video game electronics and use of heavily distorted guitars. One of my favorite tracks on the album was the better recorded version of Nautilus. It was a very well done update that stays faithful to the original. There were some really good new tracks on this effort that were very faithful to the sound they were beginning to hone on the first EP. There are a couple more upbeat songs like Darklooming where they showcase their knack for creating addictive melodies and beats made of NES sounds, while somehow maintaining a gloomy shoegaze aesthetic. Most of the tracks feel very much like shoegaze with heavily distorded guitars over echo-y, subdued vocals.
     I enjoyed revisiting this record but am curious what I will think of the follow-up. I only gave it a glance but didn't really get too deep into it. (033)