Retrospective: The Impossibles

The Impossibles never got the respect or recognition they deserved. They were one of the few 3rd Wave ska bands that actually contributed something to the larger musical community and had their own distinctive voice among all the the RBF clones. Here they are, from their first release to their last.

The Impossibles - Widowmaker

Anthologycame out as the band was breaking up. Compiling just about everything the band had released, Widowmaker is a good introduction to the band's early sound. Complete with the classic third wave style of ska verse-distorted chorus, the Impossibles still make it sound like only them. The diary cribbed lyrics could come off as being so high school (yeah, they wrote the song while in high school), but there is enough sincerity and common themes there that don't alienate anyone listening to the song. The seamless transition between the ska groove and the chorus that would make Rivers Cuomo proud as the Impossibles show their versatility.

The Impossibles - Enter/Return

After the band broke up thinking they needed to move onto other things in life, the eventually came back to their senses and back together. They opened their new CD Return with the obviously titled "Enter/Return".

Telling their story in their own words including the hopes, worries, and expectations, the song is obviously The Impossibles, but obviously the band is completely different. Ska became as cool as moonboots in July (well, pre-Napoleon Dynamite) and the Impossibles and most of the rest of us moved on. This song is just rocking from the first feedback fade in.

The Impossibles had a knack for fitting this one certain chord into just about every one of their songs (sorry, I'm getting all music theory on your asses). It's inbetween the 5 and 6 chord from the root. So If the root were C Major, then the chord would be G# Major. The manage to fit this in about 90% of their songs in one way or another. It was a part of their sound, along with the self deprecating/reflecting lyrics, the powerful dueling vocals, a knack for original and memorable melodies, and thus the mega sing-along choruses.

The Impossibles - Oxygen

The Impossibles hit their peak on 4_song_brick_bomb. This is a band that bettered itself with each release. This release also finally featured the band with decent production, as the songs were lacking the hollow guitars or overfuzzed guitars that while endearing, plaugued their earlier releases.

"Oxygen" is full of melodic bass parts and poppy vocals without the ridiculous production. Each instrument assumes the lead when necessary and gracefully bows out when its turn is over. The songwriting takes a leap forward, with lyrics becoming more complex and introspective, telling the melancholy story of distance makes the heart grow fonder.

The Impossibles achilles heel was always the mediocrity of their drummer. On brick_bomb the drumming has improved, but the band was albe to take the drummer's best skills and use them to his best potential, which unfortunately was never quite where the band needed them. Also, the band ends the song with its favorite chord maneuver, that chord between the 5 and 6.

The Impossibles - Starslight (yousendit)

The Impossibles recorded their cover of At The Drive-in's "Starslight" sometime during the brick_bomb sessions. I do believe this version of the song is better than the original. While ATDI used acoustic guitars and their wails to produce a chilling effect, the Impossibles went all Cher on us with the creamy analog keyboard vocals (the effect was not produced by a vocodor; rather, they turned up the autotune all the way. crazy!) and Rory matched the rapidfire intense spell that the countervocal produced.


Slow down. We can, we will (we will)...

The Cardinal Sin

The Cardinal Sin - Where We Shine

All Alkaline Trio comparisons aside (lyrically: drinking, loss, regret. musically: "dark" mid-tempo rocker), this song is more of a late 90s pop/punk throwback with regretful lyrics that are emotional without the baggage of a bad emo song. The band is comprised of members of defunct Minneapolis bands Cadillac Blindside, Song of Zarathusta, and The Crush. All of these bands have great histories and each band member brings something of their own and from their old bands personality to The Cardinal Sin.

I've had the melody of the chorus of this song stuck in my head for days - "This is the hardest thing I think I've ever done/You were the one I thought Would always be there." The words alone sound cliche but that tone in the James Russell's voice captures the feeling of a drunken remark of a loss of trust just perfectly. I believe him.

While The Cardinal Sin may not be doing anything remarkable in the originality department, by focusing on good, interesting songwriting, they are bringing class back to a genre that has lost its luster.

Check out their EP. The Replacements cover is excellent.