Artist: Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros Album: Up From Below

Year: 2009
Duration: 0:0-1

A Deep Dive into Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros Up From Below Album

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, the Indie rock band from Los Angeles, definitely knows how to wow their audiences. Their music is like raw emotion poured out with every beat and melody. One of their most popular albums is Up From Below, and this post aims to critically review it. This post will explore the history of the band, the music genre of the album, the best songs of the album, the most innovative parts, and an overall critique of the record.

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros is a band that formed in 2007, and their first album, Up From Below, was released in 2009. The band comprises 13 members, including lead vocalist and songwriter Alexander Ebert. While the band has undergone some changes in its lineup in recent years, Up From Below marked a momentous start for the band, which helped them attain global acclaim.

The album is best classified as a fusion of Indie Rock & Folk and prominently features an alternative country sound. It is an album that explores a broad range of instruments, from guitars to trumpets, and has a sound that resonates with different generations. The band's sound overall has been heavily influenced by 1960s American Rock and Pop.

'Home' is undoubtedly the album's best track as it offers a sense of longing and a desire for unconditional love. This track helped to popularize the band and propelled them to mainstream success. Other top tracks include '40 Day Dream,' 'Carries On,' and 'Simplest Love.' These songs are enduring for being delightfully catchy and intelligent and perfectly marry the album's themes of love and self-exploration.

The most innovative touch of the album is how it gracefully fills the gap between Indie Rock and Folk by bringing together a 13-piece ensemble of guitarists, singers, and trumpeters. Every track bursts with raw emotion and energy, making it an unparalleled listening experience that stays with you long after the album has ended.

As far as criticism goes, we have to critique the band's tendency to get stuck in their sound. They do not impose a radical shift in soundscape for most of the album, and while it is delightful to listen to, the album can feel repetitive. The album starts with a powerful track and ends in the same vein, yet a bit lethargic. The album’s latter parts lack the same vibrancy and energy as its openers.

Overall, Up From Below is an album that explores what it means to love, live, and explore life's depths. It boasts tracks that can move you in more ways than one, making it a well-rounded and complex album. While the album may not be musically perfect, it shows the band's creativity and spirit truly shines through from start to end. And for that, it's entirely worth listening to.