'Beggars' review

Thrice doesn't like to sit still, not since the release of 'Vheissu' in 2005. It seems their attention span is collectively short, too short for the post-hardcore shredding that was their niche sound. After the wave of echoey, radiohead-esque textures that dominated their last two efforts, Thrice have stripped down their bandwagon to something bare-bones with 'Beggars'. Intro song 'All the world is mad' wastes no time demonstrating that the So. Cal quartet are all grown up. The brothers Breckenridge rule the rhythm section with chunks of thousand pound grooves, a perfect juxtaposition to Teppei Teranishi's "amps to eleven" lead assault and Dustin Kensrue waxing like a wayward philosopher about the imperfections of modern man. Thrice, however, are just warming up.

'The weight' takes off swiftly after and man does it roll hard. Kensrue sings with the strength and the certainty worthy of the greatest of veteran frontmen. This is a love song carrying a big bag of knuckles. The rest of the record represents a beautifully executed balancing act between the fast attack of the first two and rolling, building arrangements akin to the sonic explorations of 'The Alchemy index'. 'Circles' and 'Wood & wire' plod gently through dream-scape moodiness, whereas 'Doublespeak' pairs saloon style piano work and lively guitar riffing, nearly crossing into the realm of pop before pulling back and settling into an alternative toe tapping.

The album is crystalized at the very end with the dramatic bow-out of the title track. The raw, sometimes charred sound of Kensrue's howl leads one to believe Thrice is as comfortable in the corner of a dive bar as they are in the sweltering cavalcade of packed concert halls. True, 'Beggars' does not showcase the band throwing themselves further across the threshold of progressive pioneering- They won't tour with Tool any time soon. However, while many are quick to point out that this fails to represent a lack of development, I strongly contend that it does. Thrice are fearless, plain and simple. There is proof here that they are as good as anyone on the planet whether their sound is quasi-indy, stripped down or careening along with broad, experimental tones. Regrettably, 'Beggars' will be unlikely to garner nods from the likes of Rolling stone or Billboard and perhaps this is a blessing in disguise. 'Beggars' embodies understated greatness, a subtle movement towards true musicianship and the promise that Thrice, whether sounding sonic or subdued, is here to stay.