Offset Records

Have you listened to Assemblage 23’s compass?

If you have not heard the latest album by Assemblage 23 you have been missing out on a great album. Compass has it’s not only hard hitting songs that you can dance to but it has some slower songs with feeling as well. If you only have time to listen to one song off the album I would suggest that you listen to collapse. It has a great beat to it and the lyrics will resonate with a lot of different people.

I would however suggest taking the time to listen to the whole album (if you can’t find it in the store, ask for the one with tin packaging). It is one of those albums that you could listen to it straight through because of the song arrangement. Tom Shear does a great job of arranging his albums this way. If you listen to the album and find that you like it I would also suggest checking out some of his older albums as well. Assemblage 23’s albums are not all the same they do not put out cookie cutter albums. They are all unique in their own way without taking away from Assemblage’s core sound and genre.

Assemblage is also one of those bands that are just as great live as they are on the album. If you have a chance to see Assemblage 23 you should definitely go see them. The smaller venues give you a nice intimate feel. Tom Shear always stays after the last set to sign albums and take pictures with. He is not only a great artist he is also a very nice and personable person. I had the pleasure of seeing him perform at Skully’s in Columbus, Oh and meeting him after the concert. I already have all of his albums but I repurchased Compass so that I could get a signature on it. Compass was just another great album in an already fantastic discography.