Semi-On: "Well I Was"

By Jonti Davies

semi-on: "well i was" (download mp3 here)

When you're studiously working your way through a library of close to 200 songs, it's unfortunate but somewhat inevitable that longer tracks tend to have a greater chance of being overlooked - which is why it's remarkable that the near seven-minutes-long epic "Well I Was" had no trouble attracting plaudits from the panel. This is a perfect example of Semi-On's distinctively Bohemian sound, and while it rocks in its own idiosyncratic way, it's a world apart from the verse-chorus-verse formula used by so many guitar/bass/drum-driven outfits. As Emily rightly pointed out, "the gypsy-flavored carnivalesque style is a real departure from the straight rock stuff we usually get." In part this is thanks to the use of additional instrumentation, with Semi-On bravely bringing in the violins when necessary, but it's also down to the band's exquisite sense of timing. The soothing tones of Bryony's voice appear only after a minute of gradual instrumental build-up; four minutes in, Semi-On confidently make a u-turn, finding a completely new string-led direction that ultimately spirals the song into a heady crescendo of fiddle and non-words. It's pure fireworks. As, indeed, are Semi-On's not-to-be-missed live shows.    

myspace.com/semionsemionsemion | semion.org
Upcoming live date in Nagoya: June 9th at Hard Rock Cafe

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