The Knight Owls’ latest release, Turning The Triad, is a mix of hits and duds. With what starts off as a strong release with the energetic “Three In One (And One In Three),” the release drifts down into its demise toward the end of the disc. “Three In One (And One In Three)” brightens the CD up with its nimble bass groove and jazzy drumming. From there, The Knight Owls throw a nearly 14-minute number onto the album that bounces between feeling like being in the underworld and wasting away in purgatory. As the downer continues on, the shrieking guitar acts like the wails of those damned for eternity, where the draining vocals on this piece make it seem like one is left dragging themselves through the world with no escape. After the dynamic and dreary track ends, whiny and cheesy vocals and an out of whack surf rock vibe fly in the form of “Just Another Day.” From the start of the campy cut, it’s easy to see that it’s an earache waiting to happen.
Fortunately, after the previous flop, the three-part number “The Triad” comes to save the disc. The song, which is broken up into parts titled “Cold,” “Reflection From A Broken Mirror” and “Carry On,” switches from dark and edgy to bluesy, and even features a bit of an upbeat folk section. Combated with soulful backup vocals, a classic rockabilly vibe and sleek harmonies, “The Triad” is easily the most diverse piece on the release. The shortest song closes out Turning The Triad with a sweet, acoustic community number titled “Here’s To You.” Overall, The Knight Owls’ disc had its downfalls, but its strong parts made up for them.
In A Word: Decent
