Oh, man. Terracotta Pigeons. Where do I even start? What words do I have lying in wait for my own personal use that can even remotely begin to describe this band? Amazing, hard rocking, and totally killer are simply words. They really aren’t giving me the same magic that I felt while listening to this trio of exceptionally skilled musicians and the music that was born of them.

The album “Ever-Forever-Never” is one of the most polished albums I have ever heard. I could not detect a single missed note, skipped beat, or other imperfection whatsoever. And for some reason, I have a feeling that seeing Terracotta Pigeons performing live would be just as stellar of a performance.

The opening track “Truth” gave me chills. That heavy guitar riff in the beginning is the perfect lead-in to the opening lyrics, which is where the chills come into play. Steve sounds eerily like Mike Patton of Faith No More fame, and there are not many people who can lay claim to THAT. But wait, there’s MORE! Steve is also able to channel Zack de la Rocha of Rage Against the Machine. It’s a combination that works well and provides us with a sound that is totally Terracotta Pigeons all the way. I had to listen to this song several times simply because I liked it so much. I had a hard time moving on to the next track because I was a little fearful that the rest of the album would not measure up to “Trust”.

I soon realized that I need not worry. Within the first few seconds of “Another Dimension” I understood that my worries were completely groundless and that Terracotta Pigeons have no intention of letting their listeners down. Steve is again giving us some de la Rocha in “Another Dimension” and it’s gritty and rough and it just rocks. Everything in this song comes together smoothly even though the song itself is hard. This is a tune that metal heads and rappers can listen to together and enjoy equally. Melodic, heavy, and based in the rap genre, Terracotta Pigeons pulls of this complex feat without a hitch.

Terracotta Pigeons tones it down a notch with “Lips are Burning,” and this piece shows us some more mastery in the Faith No More vein. The vocals are haunting and I especially like the echo effect that Terracotta Pigeons has going on here. I start to think that I’m hearing the soft side of Terracotta Pigeons, but they aren’t about to let it get TOO soft. As with all the tracks so far, there is that hard edge that keeps things from becoming an almost lullaby. The guitar absolutely screams, Steve hits us with some more heavy de la Rocha style rapping, and the drums keep pace through it all. “Lips are Burning” gives the listener a better perspective on the diversity of this band, and the melodic vibe of this tune balances well with the heavier aspects of it. Nicely done.

The title track, “Ever-Forever-Never”, is exactly what we’ve come to know and love about Terracotta Pigeons. Hard-hitting, balls to the wall rock with a twist – And not just the “Terracotta Twist,” as I’ve come to think of it, but a bonafide tongue twister as well. I tried singing along, and it’s a little rough getting all those evers forevers and nevers to roll smoothly off the tongue. Steve does it well though, and what I mean by the “Terracotta Twist” is the way they can groove and mesh just about any and every style of music into one song and still keep it smooth and melodic and hard core. This is something that most bands THINK they can do, and sadly, they try it but they can seldom make it work. However, Terracotta Pigeons proves to us that they have this particular “twist” mastered and this song clearly shows it.

“The Fall-outs” begins with an addictive bass line that swings right into the vocals, and in this song I can clearly hear the range of Steve’s vocal abilities and the strength behind that voice. This track has a bit of an industrial vibe to it, and I particularly enjoy the fact that there is so much going on, but none of it is overbearing, and likewise, none of it gets lost in the shuffle. This track is very well produced and engineered, especially since it seems like Terracotta Pigeons are using some effects with the vocals and the guitar work. While the music itself is totally Terracotta Pigeons, the band Muse comes to mind with the flawless sound of this song. Every note, each vibration, every millisecond of this song appears to have been gone over with a fine tooth comb and the results are extraordinary.

In keeping with the slightly industrial vibe of the previous track, “A Letter From Them” begins with some more industrial rockage, which makes for a smooth transition from one track to the next. While “A Letter From Them” can’t technically be qualified as industrial, it does have a vibe that is somewhat creepy, sort of eerie, and completely wonderful. This song blows me away. This is a new side of Terracotta Pigeons and I am once more shocked and astounded by the sheer breadth of the talent in this band. “A Letter From Them” is like nothing we’ve heard on this album, and Steve’s voice is barely recognizable from what we’ve come to know and love. It’s deeper, darker, and sexier than anything we’ve heard so far. The entire vibe of Terracotta Pigeons has changed in the span of one song, and this track certainly shows that they are indeed capable of anything. This is, by far, my favorite track as of yet, simply because I enjoy the feel of it and it does a great job of showcasing the diversity and the wide range of talent that this band has. This song is study in perfection.

“Pins and Needles” takes us back into the world of Terracotta Pigeons that is more familiar to us, and it hits hard after the melodic “A Letter From Them.” There is a very definite punk vibe to this song and it’s definitely a mosh pit tune. I love the take no prisoners attitude of this band, and the more I hear, the better it sounds. Dare I say I might hear a touch of Axl Rose in this song? I think so. From Mike Patton to Zack de la Rocha to a bit of Axl Rose. My god. “Pins and Needles” is so heavy and fast and it simply just fucking ROCKS… And it’s a short song, so of course, it will require repeated listens. This song is HOT. To be in the mosh pit while Terracotta Pigeons plays this live would be a great honor, and to actually walk out of the mosh pit relatively intact would be an even greater honor.

“Bridge” is a controlled cacophony of drums… and yes, the drummer certainly knows his sticks, doesn’t he? Good GOD, man. What a fantastic treat that was. I would like to hear ALL of the instruments do solos, but that was pretty damned cool. Indeed, the drums do sometimes tend to get overlooked within the music, and it heartens me to know that Terracotta Pigeons wants to make sure that we’re not overlooking ANYTHING vital. Nice display of musicianship here. Well done.

The final track of the album is called “Jungle Muse” and I can almost see Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers jamming the bass on this one. Once the vocals kick in, I am again reminded of Muse with a vague dash of the band Placebo. This song has quite an intense feel to it and it comes straight at us, aiming for the jugular. Terracotta Pigeons ends this album in style, and just as I was thinking that I’d like to hear another solo, here comes the guitar in “Jungle Muse” to rock me out. This was a great way to end the album and it leaves the listener wanting more.

Terracotta Pigeons is a band who knows what they’re doing and this review can’t even begin to describe the quality and diversity of this band. I meant every word I wrote here, ten times over, but in my humble opinion, the only way to get a clear feel for this band is to listen to the music and take it all in, each and every perfect note. Trying to put music like this into mere words is very difficult because there are so few words that can be used to describe it. And while those words are fitting, there really aren’t enough of them.

Cheers, mates – from Cleveland, Ohio USA to Darwin, Northern Territory Australia – What a great album.

Reviewed By Rhonda Readence

Reviews, Rhonda Readence Ever Forever Never, Terracota Pigeons