This Michigan group can also be added to the list of unexpected treatsduring the Terrastock 5 festival. Their new full-length album is also aburst of instrumental rock energy, introduced through a wall ofoverdriven guitar noise in a short introductory track "Detroit." Fromthe start, the instruments are tactfully given their own breathing roomfrom each other so the ebbs and flows of repeated phrases don't easilyfade into a dreary oblivion. The band picks up speed with the morelavish "Tall Winds," incorporating more movement within the melodies,and by the third and fourth track, the group has shifted gears into alive performance mode, blurring the lines between songs' endings andbeginnings. Songs like "Purple," and "Ghost Ship" open with a melodyprovided by bass guitar, with creative and consise drumming, but eachare predictably overcome by the gritty sounds of loud guitars, theformer ending in an anthemic wash that turns into an almost directionedimprovisation. While I'm fond of the appropriate production decisionson this album and can hear a group which uses a bit of restrain when itcomes to stepping on each others toes, I feel like there's somethingmissing which was clearly "there" at their live shows. Perhaps this ishow I will constantly feel about recorded drone rock albums, but it'sthat intangible further development which could hypothetically be acatalyst to something incredible.Read More
