Thursday, November 24: Howling Sycamore, “Obstinate Pace”
“Obstinate Pace” wasn’t exactly an accurate title for its accompanying track, though there was a certain obstinance to the affair in that Howling Sycamore were clearly not interested in catering to any notions of accessibility or linear songcraft. It was little wonder that the combination of tech death virtuosity, hard rock vocals and saxophone didn’t last beyond one record, though Jason McMaster had long since proven his voice could work within a broad range of styles. Still, “Obstinate Pace” was something else altogether, careening all over the place without much regard for structure. The bits didn’t entirely come together, but they were certainly interesting to listen to, and that in itself made the tune a rewarding experience, if not entirely a fulfilling one.
