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The fact that "indie" is short for independent is somewhat ironic. While there is a great deal of originality in the genre,
there can also be a remarkable amount of copycats and sound-alikes. That said, while new band Terra Terra Terra does bear
definite similarities to current indie heavyweights such as Copeland, they can't be written off completely as imitators.
They certainly deserve some sort of notice for having one of the more awkward band names I've seen.
Musically, Terra Terra Terra's debut album Mind Like a Man, Soul Like a Child is occasionally a tad harder than
the band's other genre mates. Nevertheless, there is a great deal of slow, introspective works with plenty of keys and
echoing vocals. The first track, "Prologue," is not a song but is actually the voice of presumably the singer explaining the
band's view of itself as a Christian band. "Paradigm" kicks off the music with some sensible guitar work and a nice
foundation. Unfortunately, this causes a problem that occurs throughout the rest of the album. The vocals are soft and dreamy
perhaps to the point of excess, and as such tend to get lost in the instrumentation. This is unfortunate, because vocalist
Loren Taylor has a great voice, especially as heard in "Only the Penitent Man Shall Pass" and "Wrong This Right."
It just rarely gets the attention it deserves. Furthermore, the melodies are often unremarkable and fail to catch the
listener's attention. Perhaps with better songwriting, the vocal strength of the band could be better displayed and
mated with their obvious instrumental talent. As it is, the entire album lacks variety or very many high points, instead
tending to run together as you near the end.
Terra Terra Terra has potential, but much of it is left unfulfilled on this release. As a result,
Mind Like a Man, Soul Like a Child is a mostly uninteresting album that is only appropriate for dedicated indie
music fans. I can see it being a nice background soundtrack for relaxing when you don't want to pay much attention,
but that's about it.
- Review date: 8/10/09, written by Timothy Estabrooks of Jesusfreakhideout.com
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Round Kid Records signees Terra Terra Terra are one of those bands that's kind of hard to
comment on. While the sound is unique and there's obvious heart in the core of this record, I can't honestly
recommend this album. Mind Like a Man, Soul Like a Child has an ever-present sound of ambiance and
indie-rock, and maybe that could be likable to a certain crowd. This description may sound appealing and fresh,
but unfortunately, it seems like it was a once-good idea that was not fully realized during production. While the
lyrical content here is admirable and I can't deny that these guys' hearts are in the right place, the album is indeed
quite forgettable and doesn't hold much replay value in the long haul. Its short length (only nine full songs and a
"prologue" to account for here) also makes this record hard to recommend for an investment. Maybe this quartet's
sound will improve with maturity, but Terra Terra Terra probably isn't worth looking into at this point.
- Roger Gelwicks of Jesusfreakhideout.com
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