The United States economy may be floundering, but the band The American Dollar’s recent release A Memory Stream released in August 2008 is as solid as a rock. The band was started as a project by two friends, John Emanuele (drum, keyboard, bass, and guitar) and Rich Cupolo (guitar, keyboard, bass, and percussion) in 2005.
As partial as I am towards instrumental music with little or no lyrics, I can still say that this band has surpassed my expectations of what music can be. A Memory Stream has pretty much become a pleasant soundtrack to mellow me out no matter what I’m doing. The music paints a calming portrait in your mind, putting you at ease to think about whatever you may. All of the American Dollar’s music is like this, delicate guitar or keyboard melodies blanketed by satisfying beats and splotched with some ambient tones. It’s great to listen to whenever I study, walk to class, relax, or even sleep.
Let me get back to the new album, A Memory Stream. Generally, the sound and overall feeling of the song reflects an abstract theme from its title. The opening two part song, “The Slow Wait” starts with a very ghostly ambience, then brings in a peaceful sounding keyboard melody. It slowly develops building up with guitars and other mystical tones. The songs climaxes with a vibrant and smooth guitar solo, quickly drying up all of the progression. Part 2 brings in an upbeat percussion, while the background ambience from the previous song keeps things moving. More and more of these parts develop and it gets very intense, as if “The Slow Wait” is over and something has begun. Try listening to this song as you leave home for class, oddly enough the progression will get you amped for the day.
You may be thinking this sounds boring, but it really isn’t. The reason I like this band so much is because your day gives context to the music. Another awesome song, for any moment is “Starscapes”. It’s ethereal at first, building the soundscape for the rest of the song. Right as you don’t expect it, the billowing patterns fade as ambient tones play, before you’re used to this calmness it builds right back up. An intense and catchy drumbeat pops up making you want to tap your toes. I forgot to mention this song is 9 minutes long. Things finish up eventually, after the band playfully tweaks their dynamics like you’d never expect.
The American Dollar falls into the somewhat obscure and hidden genre of post-rock. It’s almost like music from a movie, but interesting enough that it surely isn’t. I get just as much pleasure out not really paying attention as I do out of focusing intently on a song. There are no words, just rich textures of sound that slowly evolve to keep your interest. If they sound intriguing to you, check out their last.fm or myspace page, all of their songs are free to listen to.
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