Noises – Self Titled
June 8, 2011
Noises is Adam O’Connor, a friend of mine for some years that I’ve had the privilege of playing music with in numerous bands. The kid is incredibly talented (maybe even frustratingly so) and has taught himself to play multiple instruments. On his newest project, Adam has created a lush ambient album that rivals some of my favorites in the genre. Each song meanders through beautiful melodies and unique textures, reminiscent of This Will Destroy You or Hammock. Occasionally, the songs take on a more structured form with accompanying percussion, but some of the best moments on the album come when the melodies are allowed to drift and slowly culminate into something different altogether. This album falls somewhere between post-rock and ambient (I would say more ambient), and I highly suggest checking it out if you are a fan of either, or if you’re just looking for a really melodic easy-listen.
Enemies – Coco Et Moi
April 28, 2011
The Irish instrumental band Enemies released a 7″ single for Record Store Day. The 2 songs are just as good as anything on the band’s full length (maybe even a little catchier…). This was probably my favorite Record Store Day release this year, and they still have copies of it for sale. If you’re unfamiliar with the band, check out the video below of them playing the song “Robert Reid” from the release, and see what you’ve been missing.
This Will Destroy You – Tunnel Blanket
March 25, 2011
Oh shit. I’ve been waiting for this album to leak forever. I say that about a lot of the stuff I post, but I’ve been patiently anticipating this album for what feels like years. With this album, This Will Destroy You has set out to break free from the labels people have been slapping them with. They’re not cool with being lumped into the same category as Explosions In The Sky, Mono, etc. As a result, this album is much darker and noise-laden with some major drone and ambient influences. The album opener even features some vocals, but they’re so hoarse and distressed that they become more like another instrument than anything else. In some ways, I think the band chose to alienate listeners with this release. Fans of the formulaic (read: cliche) , rise-fall-rise Post-Rock will likely find this album hard to listen to, and I’m fairly certain that’s what they were striving for. I think a lot of people will appreciate the band’s new direction, however. I would choose to listen to this over the new Explosions In The Sky any day.
Explosions In The Sky – Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
March 15, 2011
Everyone’s been waiting for it and it leaked today. Here’s EITS’s newest full length, due out in April. If you haven’t seen the packaging on this album, take some time to visit the band’s website. It’s something I’ve never seen before and I’ll bet it looks awesome in person. The album is, as always, expansive, dense and beautiful. These guys are still leading the genre for this sort of post-rock. Just listen to it.
Black with Sap 