What a nice album. It is dark at times, and country at times, but over all just a really well done CD. The vocals are beautiful and the songwriting even better. Good buy for the money!
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"Swinging from a brooding intensity that resembles Jim Morrison and the Doors to the Furs to an absolutely wonderful gem buried in the middle of the disc that hearkens to the Smiths".



Here's a bit of trivial information for you to mull over as you listen to tracks off of Swim in the Silence, courtesy of Ninth House: reading through the bio, I found, after I'd already made an assessment of my thoughts on this disc, that the band sometimes covers the "You're a Mean One, Mr Grinch" Dr. Seuss classic and an occasional Psychedelic Furs number. What's odd about this, is that not only did I think to myself this guy sounds a bit like Richard Butler from the Psychedelic Furs, but he would do an outstanding impersonation of the voiceover for the cartoon. Sometimes, it seems, my initial reactions aren't far off from the mark.

Listening to this disc was an oddly pleasurable experience. In many ways, it feels like a throwback swinging from a brooding intensity that resembles Jim Morrison and the Doors to the Furs to an absolutely wonderful gem buried in the middle of the disc that hearkens to the Smiths. Lead vocalist /bassist/lyricist Mark Sinnis seems to be something of a chameleon, although the darkness reflected in all of the previously mentioned artists is what ultimately ties the sounds together. There are simply some wonderful moments within this disc whether it's a singular piano run, or soaring vocals that have a strong effect on the tone of all these songs. I like the fact that the sound of Ninth House breeds a lot of familiarity to alternative bands of the past, but retains a beauty in and of itself that is fresh and inviting to the listener. There is a maturity and appreciation within the song structure that strikes a welcome chord.

The music itself absolutely deserves applause on its own. Often climactic and worked on a grand-scale that feels very organic and complex simultaneously, the intricate guitar work works well with a filtered drum sound very reminiscent of U2 a solid underbelly that always seems to be driving the melody forward. While dark a lot of the time, the music glitters and jangles in the right places, and fills up the cracks and crevices left by the vocal performance. And what a vocal performance. Sinnis has a wonderfully rich tone gorgeous on its own, but accentuated by the guitar and bass lines because his voice moves with an ease and versatility that would complement nearly any style of music. A natural vibrato that resembles Morissey, Martin Gore of Depeche Mode, Mark Eitzel of American Music Club, and a raw, passionate texture that emphasizes a Buckner/Jim Morrison growl makes his performance all the better. Not only does he have natural talent, but he's able to translate the emotional element to his advantage.

Strong moments include the title track, a namesake, "Put a Stake Right Through It", "Dissolve" and my favorite for the moment, "Your Past May Come Back to Haunt Me". This is an amazingly well produced work, one that breeds a charm and affection for the band immediately. A great listen and an even better buy.
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