Who Speaks for Planet Earth? * by And Then There Were None (CD, Feb-2009, Tooth & Nail)

When I first heard of And Then There Was None (ATTWN), they were a metalcore outfit trying to make it in a sadly saturated and monotonous scene full of the same sounds and bands. When I heard they signed onto the Tooth and Nail roster in a addition to a change in sound, I thought I would actually give them a try, trusting Nail's record of usually good band choices (sorry, still disagreeing in signing on Hawk Nelson and MyChildren MyBride) and appreciating bands that want to explore and evolve in their artistry.

First things first - I am not usually a dance music person (as this album is loaded with it) and second, I could not help my mind from conjuring up the images of the time when KISS created one metal album only to produce consecutive disco LPs. But much to my surprise, ATTWN excelled beyond my stereotypes and images. With the first listen, there was some catchy tunes, particularly in regards to "John Orr the Arsonist" and "Thank the Watchmaker", but I felt that perhaps some of the beats and time signatures were too similar.

Grant it, the songs did not slur into one another and were able to keep their individual (though not always unique) identities, but when "BOOM-chink" and "Synth-synth-synth" were repeating throughout, I got a little bored. But again, I am not a dance music person. However, "Thank the Watchmaker" warranted another listen through the disc, with its lighter flavor in the synths, slightly different time signature, and its lyrics fitting well with the soaring/hooky (or perhaps, moon-walking?) chorus that was a little more palatable to me.

Second time around, I was able to see the layers and the attention ATTWN put into this disc. Timing did seem more diverse, creating more individualistic songs that did not create a boring listen. I listened more to the lyrics, which in some points, the simplistic nature of them were quite beautiful, while in others, would only pass as a Miley Cyrus song. A little too spatial and incoherent - I like messages - but nonetheless, they allow you to ride upon the experimental synths and guitars to endless space of meaning.

Additionally, I had a great appreciation for the guitars - they brought a crunchiness, yet heaviness that made the beats more interesting and fuller. It did remind me of their past style of music, but who could blame them for bringing that to the table? It is fairly eclectic, though it is a dance music album; it is artistry to me when you can paint a picture, but use many layers. I hear great effort in exploring their new-found art, presenting a positive message, and having fun. The only changes I would are greater experimentation with the timing and the hooks, perhaps a few more chimes and whistles, and reigned in lyrics that really do speak for Planet Earth.