Dredg

Leitmotif

(Interscope)

In the past few months I haven’t come across very many new bands that I’ve liked.

And that’s the way it should be.

Of all the bands around, only a few become well-known, and even that doesn’t mean they’re any good.

But this band is.

Dredg is an original mixture of everything that is decent and good in rock music today. Its new album, “Leitmotif,” is a combination of thought-provoking lyrics and passionate rhythms.

If there is a future of rock, I hope Dredg is it.

“Leitmotif” is an imagination-provoking album. The band has the ability to open up a world of exotic landscapes and fascinating people before a word is sung. The album is as much a work of art as it is a collection of music.

It has the hypnotizing guitar work of Rusted Root or Dave Matthews Band combined with the intense fury and sensibility of At The Drive-In. Add to that percussion and bass, and once the vocals kick in there is no doubting “Leitmotif” is something different and perfect.

The album is written in movements rather than tracks, giving it the feel of a symphony. Transitions between the songs are practically seamless, and only substantiate the feeling the album was written as one great piece.

Ranging from mellow acoustic tracks to hard rock songs, much of the album can only be described as beautiful. The rest is inspirational.

“Leitmotif” has truly convinced me that some bands still write albums and not just songs.

If I haven’t convinced you as to the quality of Dredg, then there is nothing more I can say. If I have, enjoy.