Thrice have always been well-known for their growing ambition and creativity, but their new album Beggars sees the band attempting something new: creating groove that will make the body move before making the head start thinking, as Thrice music will always do. The music is constantly fantastic, but some weak attributes make it clear that Thrice don’t perfectly know how to “groove” just yet.

Thrice: “Beggars” Released September 15, 2009 on Vagrant Records

4 out of 5 stars

After releasing a few albums of extremely ambitious material that was simultaneously brilliant and isolating (2005’s Vheissu and the double release of The Alchemy Index in 2007 and 2008), Thrice return with an album that plays in similar soundscapes as the previous albums but is easier to enjoy and has more groove. This record, 2009’s Beggars, was created through jamming instead of through long and tedious thought-processes and musical architecture. The result is a group of songs that is musically adventurous and cohesive while also trying to walk the fine line of being both fun and inventive. A few songs work perfectly, but usually the album falls into portions that are weak because they are simply jams: these songs were created with emphasis on the feeling more than the thought, so not every song has enough groove, and others have underdeveloped vocals that don’t carry enough melody. The album is overall a strong collection, but the album has enough weak spots, especially in the second half, that overshadow the creative efforts with boredom.

The songs “Circles” and “At the Last” are prime examples of the strengths and weaknesses of the record. “Circles” has fine musicianship (especially in the song’s shining ending) and lyrics (“We set sail with no fixed star in sight, we drive by braille and candlelight”), appearing quite beautiful and soothing, but the melodies are boring and low in craftsmanship. “At the Last” has great vocals and lyrics throughout most of the song, and it also showcases some of the album’s best guitar riffs, but the chorus melody is so monotonous and dull that the song loses all apparent worth.

On levels other than the actual musical composition, the album is spotless and glorifying. Guitarist Teppei Teranishi steps into the producer’s chair once again, proving the talent behind this band, and singer Dustin Kensrue’s lyrics are more poignant and relevant than ever. Most of the album deals with staying humble and hopeful during both life’s victories and its trials, constantly remembering that life on earth is not as important as the eternal life to come. “The Weight” is a harshly realistic but also proverbial and empowering ode to marriage. “In Exile” is a gentle tune with a heavy Pedro the Lion-influence that sings a beautiful chorus. Some of the album’s best moments are also the darkest. The driving and invigorating lead single “All the World is Mad” talks of exactly what its title suggests, and the title track “Beggars” is a build-up about how people of the world think so highly of themselves when on the grand scale they are all so small, bringing a fitting and memorable end to the album. The highlight of the record, however, is “Doublespeak,” which in general speaks about hypocrisy. The greatness of the song though lies in its completely realized sense of the aforementioned “groove,” with its bouncing piano lines, dancing drum strokes, and melodies that are both smart and memorable. The entire album hits a peak during this song, which hints that a more refined record in this style could be a masterpiece.

Best Songs: “The Weight” “Doublespeak” “In Exile”