(Post Rock) New Century Classics - Natural Process - 2009, FLAC (tracks), lossless

Two Poles, a Polish-American, a Polish-Canadian and an Italian walk into a room. Sounds like the beginning of a joke, doesn’t it? In this case, it turned out to be the start of a series of musical misadventures. New Century Classics, which plays everything from cello to egg, exploded onto the post-rock scene in 2007 with its self-titled, self-released debut EP, and subsequently starred on TSB’s eighth compilation. The band’s compilation track (“Congratulate You, Where?”) became one of TSB’s 2008 Tracks of the Year. An album was recorded last fall, but the label’s studio didn’t like the final mix, so the quintet ended up mixing it on its own. When tour time rolled around, the label still didn’t have the album ready, so NCC hurriedly recorded and self-released a second EP. Then the label lost its distributor. NCC was prepared to buy back the entire stock of CDs until FDM decided to give them away for free – but only in Poland. (The digital copy is available in the “name your price” bracket.) It will take a miracle for anyone to make any money with this venture. Throw in the fact that the album was released in December, too late to make most year-end lists and too early to be considered for 2010, and it’s a total nightmare.
The punchline – the variable that transforms this story from a comedy of errors to a Shakespearean tragedy – is that the album is magnificent. There’s a warmth to Natural Process that feels almost neighborly, as if the quintet had invited us to a living room concert and served us home-baked pierogis and makowiec (poppy seed pastries). Perhaps this generosity is the byproduct of mingled hope and resignation. When anything that can go wrong, does, the healthiest response may be good humor. In this instance, NCC may be saying, We share this with you because joy is transient, and fades quicker when hoarded. We lay out our hearts, our souls, our music. Tomorrow we will return to work, because it costs us to play; but if you like our album, we will feel wealthy.
Natural Process captures the exuberance of a band that loves making music, providing a buffet for others when it can only afford golonka (pig knuckles with vegetables). This invisible current, the tone behind the timbre, helps the album to honor its title. There’s nothing clinical about the proceedings, no hint of calculation or artifice. The album not only flows, but overflows, producing fond memories after each listen. It’s so rich, even the highlights have highlights. Most importantly, the music is life-affirming; no circumstance or setback can mute this band’s ebullience.
“Congratulate You, Where?” is included, a bonus for fans who like having all their music in the same place. This song is a masterpiece of construction, as it begins with a solid, rumbling jam before introducing Dana’s sublime violin chorus at 1:43, breaking down, building up, pausing, then soaring once again. The central four-note riff resonates pleasantly in the memory long after the song has ended. This key element – memorability – places it in post-rock’s upper echelon. Also included is former TSB Track of the Week “Buddha Pilot.” This selection also seems to start in the middle, as if one had opened a door to surprise the band in mid-rehearsal. But unlike the previous entry, this piece proceeds through multiple hi-octane movements, including a brief pit stop during which the band leader yells, “One-two-three!”, a tempo drop, and a drum spotlight. The best of the new tracks, “Post-Cards,” offers a stunning finale.
It’s always nice to see acts experiment with different approaches. Sure, we think we’d like to hear the violin on every track, but this might becoming tiring. The members of New Century Classics seem happy to allow each instrument and participant their moments. And so, even though NCC is a guitar-based band, the guitars are not always at its core. Often the keyboards provide the central melody, or the guitars trade lead with cello and drums. Through it all, the bass provides a steady, comforting presence, a reassuring anchor to the wandering boat above. Natural Process also includes a few couple ballad-tempo numbers, the best of which is “Seven Days,” a pastoral piece which sneaks in a lullaby during its final minute. The occasional presence of bells (most notably on “Sandbox Love”) augments the comfort level. NCC doesn’t play safe, but makes the listener feel safe.
Sometime in the near future, if the warehouse doesn’t burn down, if the mail doesn’t go on strike, if the apocalypse doesn’t occur, the remaining copies of Natural Process will be offered for sale outside Poland. But even if all these events occur, we can trust that the members of New Century Classics will take such setbacks in stride. One can imagine them sitting astride the wreckage of bombed-out cars, only a few days after the end of the world, playing for whoever will listen, and commenting on how beautiful the clouds look through the dust of destruction. As we head into a new decade, we wish the band happier news, greater exposure and better luck.Score: 8/10-Richard Allen