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by Ryan Donar

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Make Believe does it again with there 3rd album, Going To The Bone Church, to be released on April 29, 2008 by Flameshovel Records.

The album kicks off with Sam Zurick's thousand-note pluck-strum guitar in a mathrock-esque fashion accompanied with Nate Kinsella's multitasking hands as he beats his drums on the opening track entitled, Ooo-Yum. Bobby Burg then plucks in with his thumping bass beat, shortly after Tim Kinsella screeches his well-known unique voice. Ooo-Yum is a bit of a random screamer that Make Believe is well known for, but the guitars and drums have much improved in a more structured form. Overall, Ooo-Yum is a great opening track for the new album due to it's sound of more improved song writing and knowledge of music theory.

The second song, Just Green Enough, blasts off after a distorted "Eh" with Sam Zurick showing off his amazing guitar playing abilities with a very mathrocky time signature and sound. Zurick's sound is one that is so unique and talented that he often has the listener thinking he has more then just two hands. You can hear Tim building up in the background with a slight descending "ahh". At about one minute the whole band comes in with a melodic structure, a hip drum beat along with Nate's wurlitzer which he plays as he bangs on his set. The song is one of the best on the album as how it delivers a frenzied-melody that sticks in your head like gum on the carpet.

Sam Rollerskating Backwards is the third song on the album and starts off bringing Make Believe fans feeling right at home. The song builds up into a unique chorus where Nate once again shows off his skills at multitasking with a great keys riff. Bobby throws in a really cool bass riff that structures the song and flows well with Zurick's unique guitar.

For Lauri Bird, the fourth song starts with Zurick's fingers prancing frantically as he taps his way into the beat of Nate's drums and the rythmatic bass of Burg. Tim Kinsella throws in his witty lyrics that keeps you bouncing your head up and down up until Zurick's solo that makes you stop bouncing your head, and your jaw drops. The song comes back in full force, Tim begins singing more emotionally and louder as the rest of the band keeps flowing amazing sounds into your ears.

Wearin' Torn starts off with Sam producing a beautiful guitar riff and Nate fingering around with his wurlitzer accompanied with Burg's bass. Tim comes in with grunts, and a couple made up words, but it's not long before the chorus comes in and the band takes you back to 2001 with there only Owls release with a melodic vocals and a nifty bass line that will make you move. It isn't over just yet though, the song goes back into the beginning riff with some of Tim's witty lyrics and neat guitar riffs.

The sixth song, Garden Stencil, booms right off the bat with Nate shaking a marraca, thumping on his bass drum, and bouncing his wurlitzer keys. The entire song has Nate multitasking as Tim riddles some rhymes while Burg and Zurick pluck away on there guitars.

Goin' To The Bone Church, the almost title track of the album builds up in almost an explosions in the sky sort of way, then riffs itself into some really cool parts. The song is almost entirely instrumental up until the song breaks into congos and Tim recites a poem that is so witty, it could be an example of the word, wit.

The next song's is a play off of The Rolling Stones', I Can't Get No (Satisfaction). (I Can't Understand) Satisfaction is in some ways similar to the title track as it builds up in the building with a beautiful riff and a distant beat building in the background. Tim begins singing the title, then goes into quite possibly the most absurd lyric of the album, "All porn is gay porn." That says enough.

The next to the last song on the album, Taste, Touch, Smell, Deceit and Touch kicks off with Nate pounding his bass drum and his wurlitzer. He is then accompanied by Burg who once again bounces in with Zurick who plays an almost homage riff to the genre of math rock. Tim screeches and croaks through the song with some clever lyrics that will make you rewind the track and listen to over and over again. If you want to know what you're getting into by buying this album, I would suggest this song to be the first song to listen to.

People Laughing, ends the album on a great note with really abstract guitar riffs and mathy drum beats as well as a groovy scaled bass riff accompanied by Tim's lyrics. "Protest the Vietnam War" and "Every word is a verb, every moment's a word" are just some lyrics that you will find intriquing in this song. Not saying that nearly every lyric Tim sings in this song you won't find interesting. The song ends on Tim repeating "protest the vietnam war", and the album ends on your mind repeating "I want more".

Overall, Going To The Bone Church, is an exceptionally great album that may take more than once to listen to in order to fully enjoy and understand. The talent portrayed in this album is far more superior then previous albums of Make Believe and any other album I have heard that has been released so far this year.

-Ryan Donar
April 22, 2008

Learn more about this author, Ryan Donar.

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