Album Review: Tristan Clopet - Purple EP

Tristan Clopet & The Juice
Purple EP
(www.tristanclopet.com)

Tristan Clopet's new EP, Purple, starts like a statement.  The first sounds you hear are a heavy bass line, that boom out of speakers with a funk heavy undertone.

From the first notes Purple declares it's growth from Tristan's first EP, Duende.  Possibly it could be the addition of drummer Dan Hammler, or revising their recording method, but Purple bursts out of speakers in a way that Duende didn't.  It is fascinating to hear the evolution of a talented musician, and there is no better example than the difference between Tristan's first two EPs.

I know comparing Tristan's sound to the Red Hot Chili Peppers is beyond cliche, due to the similar funk, rock, and talking-style singing of both, but it's as if RHCP had come out with Blood Sex Sugar Magik after By The Way.  Blood Sex Sugar Magik being a harder and funkier album than the ethereal By The Way.

It's a direction I prefer.

The album starts off with the funky Proximity Bomb, which oozes RHCP, from the funky opening, followed by a singing-talking prechorus, followed by the diaphragm popping, slighty ambiguous chorus.  Also, Tristan uses very typical RHCP lyrical structure of "all over the land" and "all the people."  This song, the first one on the album, is so much more powerful than any other song on Duende, and typifies the growth of Tristan's music. 

But, of course, any similarities that Tristan shares with the Chili Peppers fades away with the second song on the album, So Alive.  Dropping away from the funk styling of other Tristan songs, he shows his versitility by moving onto an airy proclaimation of self-help and self-reliance, which was also a big theme on Duende.

Lines like, "Look in the mirror, that's where you need to start your next affair" and "Isn't it funny how you can love someone else before you love yourself," move away from the ambiguity of the fast paced Proximity Bomb, and focused on something more personal and emotional.  It is such a simple song, there are no solos, just the heavenly chorus where Tristan cries out "Cause she's so alive."  My favorite moment of the song is at the end when it crescendos and Tristan proclaims that the female character of the song is "walking down a lane," feeling lighter and freer from her personal growth and discovery that she experiences through the song.

But, rather than continue with another slower pace song, like Duende, Tristan pulls the tempo up again with Superficiality is a Sin.  But, instead of the heavy handed feeling of Proximity Bomb (and the last song on the album Black Panther Party), Superficiality is a Sin has the open feeling of a blues based rock song.  Instead of relying on a power bass, and high tempo drumming, the song has an open and spaced riff rather than fast paced instrumentalism.

There are two moments of absolute music brilliance in this song (aside from the use of a string section in the pre-verse), the first being his use of a mini-guitar solo at the end of the chorus, and the second being an incredible guitar solo close to the end of the song.  It starts off replaying the riff of the song, then screaming off and swirling, then pulling a note to the heavens.  Talk about goosebumps!

Keeping the album uptempo is Ethereal Evidence, a heavily funk-infused anti-establishment rock song.  While the verse is nothing more than Dan's drumming and Tristan's slap bass playing (bass is played by Colin Veit on all other songs, though), with Tristan semi-rapping ontop of the music, followed by a chorus that is an amazing example of the range of Tristan's voice; range that Anthony Keidis would be jealous of (there's a reason why Flea and John Frusciante always do the vocal harmonies on RHCP albums).  Also, since the majority of the song is not mainly singing but sing-song rapping, it allows the lyrics of the song to shine as well.  Capped with the closing lines:  "The only way that killing is ok is if the person that you kill doesn't quite fit the bill... so please just stop with that nonesense... with what the world has gone through so far, it's time to stop this exhibition for your lord, believe what you want only do it peacefully, just keep it to yourself, then we'll all be ...able to live in PEACE."

While I've been glowing about the first 4 songs on Purple, it seems like Tristan took my advice from my review of Duende, when I said, "Oceans is actually my one negative against the EP. It's a slow paced song and is a weak way to close out an EP."  The final two songs, Love and a Question and Black Panther Party, are absolutely fantastic, and are arranged in perfect order -- Love and a Question is slow paced and Black Panter Party is a sonic beating.

Also, these two songs so fully show the range of Tristan's abilities that if I were a music talent scout for a major label, it would be these two songs that I would present to my bosses.

Love and a Question has the soft and tender Tristan sound, but really captures a very mainstream and pop based love song, similar to Maroon 5 and Daniel Powter's Bad Day.  I really have to commend Dan's drumming again on this song and the simplicity of it.  It's rare to find a musician who can throw together a whole lot of instruments, harmonies, verses, choruses, solos, and still maintain a song's simplicity amongst complication.  Of all the slower songs of Tristan's, this is my absolute favorite, so far.

And ending off the album is the powerhouse Black Panther Party.  I always listen to an album a bunch of times and take notes when I prepare to write a review of it, and when I first heard Black Panther Party, this was the first note that I made: HOLY SHIT!

I am a true and passionate lover of rock and roll.  From Eddie Cochran, through Led Zeppelin, and up to Kings of Leon, I absolute love rock and roll music in all it's various forms.  Black Panther Party has that essence of rock music.  A heavy bassline, a unique and riff heavy guitar line, a "swirling" pre-chorus guitar riff, power drumming, etc., etc.  This song is fantastic.  Plus, I'm 90% sure it's about sex, and like everyone knows, the best rock songs are about sex.

I'm trying to contain my excitement about Purple and maintain any form of unbias opinion... but seriously...  this EP is absolutely fantastic.  I shower a lot of praise on Tristan for a lot of what he does, particularly with his professional attitude towards his music career, his hardwork, and laser-like focus, but all those positives coalesce into absolutely amazing music.

You can get Tristan Clopet's Purple EP from his website, www.tristanclopet.com.

If You Enjoyed This Post, You May Also Like:

• Album Review: Tristan Clopet's Duende EP
• The Int'l Language and Tristan Clopet & The Juice at Wallflower
• Revisited: Tristan Clopet -- Tours, EPs, and Growth as a Musician
• Rachel Goodrich and Tristan Clopet Videos
• Tristan Clopet & The Juice - Live on CBS Morning Show in West Palm

Tags: Purple EP, Tristan Clopet & The Juice

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 4th, 2010 at 6:29 am and is filed under Music. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

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