23/3/11

The Antlers’ “Burst Apart”, MM’s virtual review.



I started writing this as a full review of SXSW. But the post kept growing when I put my thoughts on paper from The Antler’s show. So, here is another post regarding this in addition to the previous one from Amarillo. And expect multiple posts in the coming week regarding what I “virtually” lived from home at SXSW.

Last Thursday at SXSW, The Antlers presented their new album entitled “Burst Apart”, whose release is expected for May 2011. The Brooklyn’s band decided to play the entire album at The Parish in Austin, Texas as the major piece of NPR Music’s party that evening at SXSW.

Lots of expectations from people like me, who enjoyed and suffered their 2009 masterpiece “Hospice”, which in all reason remained on the top of the lists appearing in this blog for that year (Amarillo’s #2, MM’s #4).

The result was all good. What I heard last week loudly talks about this being another exquisite and roaring album from The Antlers. A close to perfect, though almost unrelated sequel to their 2009 masterpiece. Overall, “Burst Apart” remains a full story, one that needs to be heard from start to finish, but at the same time, an album that depicts a more approachable color than that from “Hospice”.

Their playlist last week, and I assume that of the album too, started with “I Don’t want Love” a song full of tints that resemble “Hospice”, one that to a certain extent sounds like an epilogue to this album. However, somehow at the end of the song, you know something has changed. You know that their steering wheel has shifted and that a trip to a different place has started. “French Exit”, the second song made this clear. This in particular is the key song that shows that The Antler’s palette is in fact way broader than we thought.

From there on the album grabs you tight. And if you ask me, the band reaches almost the top in “No widows”, a song that has all the qualities that make The Antlers a great band, it is powerful, though remains dark and mysterious. It is full of emotions without having to speed up the beat. “ No perfect love above “ ,“There’s no punishment below” screams front man Peter Silberman.

Overall, this is a great album, and like “Hospice” it builds in an epic fashion taking you right there within that fine line between joy and sadness. Right there where all hurts.

“Burst Apart”, just like “Hospice” will be for sure on the top of my list this year.

Just like Amarillo did in the previous post, I leave the link to their full story from SXSW as it appears in NPR plus the audio of “No Widows”. Trust me, it is worth listening/watching.

Enjoy,

MM

SXSW 2011 - The Antlers Live in Concert


No hay comentarios:

Publicar un comentario