Happy Saturday, Magical Beings! I’m spending my Saturday trying to keep up with the changing winds of our world right now. I’m longing for the simpler times of myspace and Wrockstock. I’m continuing my walk through memory lane and highlighting some Wizard rock from my neck of the woods.
This week, I’m reviewing Gather Your Thoughts (2008) by Into the Pensieve. This band is comprised of Morfin (vocals, guitar), Grindelwald (vocals, guitar), Fenrir (percussion), and Mulciber (bass). They’re bringing us wizard rock from Edmond, Oklahoma. A huge shoutout to Your Wizard Rock Resource for having these hard to find songs and the lyrics to them as well.
So let’s get to it, shall we?
The Tracks
The first track of Gather Your Thoughts is instrumental to the rest of the album – and also an instrumental called The Second War. Unfortunately, I can’t find this song. Imagine that it’s like the Hogwarts School Song and whatever exists in our heads is correct. Anyone else hearing harmonica??
THE TEA! Let’s hear it for the ability of wizard rockers to create new stories out of old chapters. Confessions of a Half-Blood Prince warns Harry to take a good look at Snape before he reads his thoughts in the pensieve. He, instead of James Potter, is Harry’s real father. DUN DUN DUUUUNNNNN. Without a doubt, my favorite line of this song is:
I’m sorry for all the hate
And telling you this so late
Now that your third dad’s gonna die
I read this next song in the melody of Broadway, Here I Come from the TV show Smash. I’m a sucker for a musical. Anyway, I love the 90s Third Eye Blind feel Hogwarts Here I Come brings. Into The Pensieve paints a beautiful picture of an idyllic Hogwarts school with lines like:
And I can smell the smoke arising
As the train pulls into town
and lines like:
A breath of air fills up my lungs
‘Cause Hogwarts, here I come
Next up, we’ve got Transfigure it Out. This album is so very good. The sound quality and talent of these musicians come through clearly. It isn’t easy to navigate relationships without good communication. Why can’t we just transfigure it out – I aced all my N.E.W.T.S.!
Need to set the mood for a romantic magical evening? I suggest Portkey To Your Heart. The smooth acoustic guitar and drums have a groove that’s relaxing to fall into. Even though the band tries to tell us that “wizard love is always hard” they make it seem pretty easy.
I absolutely love songs that highlight inter-house love and Caught In Your Devil’s Snare does not disappoint.
Meet me in Herbology
Down in Greenhouse Four
I don’t care if you’re from Slytherin
And I’m from Gryffindor
They’re growing more than mandrakes with Professor Sprout. Young budding love takes the center stage in this fun track.
I sometimes wonder what Hogwarts did for those who didn’t celebrate Christmas. In my mind, they have feasts for every celebration throughout the year with music and food from all the different cultures in the school. Christmas At Hogwarts reminds us of the joyful and less stressful times in the castle. Just keep the butterbeer flowing, please.
I’m so grateful that my life leads me to googling things like “boingy mouth instrument”. Imperiused When I Left You starts with a Jaw Harp that emphasizes the folky feel of this song. Those unforgivable curses will get you as evidenced with these lyrics:
So surprised
When you told me
I incendioed your dress robes and killed your own
So surprised
That you left me
I didn’t mean to snog your house-elf
I didn’t mean to run away
…moving on….
Reimagining 9 Crimes by Damien Rice, 10 Crimes explores Goblet of Fire and Harry and Ron’s friendship. Who put Harry’s name in the Goblet of Fire? We know now, but maybe Ron should have given Harry a little more trust. Still, he did better than movie Dumbledore.
This song is a tribute to “the most talented tree we’ve ever met” The Whomping Willow. Covering In Which Draco and Harry Secretly Want To Make Out by The Whomping Willows, we get a more subdued version of our punk rocking plant’s love song.
The aptly titled Don’t Say Goodbye finishes out our album. This finale will hit you right in the feels with lyrics like:
I know it hurts
But you know I’m here
Can I hold your hand in mine?
Cause we’ll make it through
Just me and you
Get your lighters ready and sway to this song featuring the lovely voice of an artist called Kesley B.
In Summary
Wow, what a great record. If you check out their Myspace, they have featured a couple of photos from their recording process. You can tell that they put some time into making the album cohesive and a joy to listen to.
All in all, I rate this album…
20/10 Butterbeers!
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