Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Review: If These Trees Could Talk: Above the Earth, Below the Sky [A]


Artist: If These Trees Could Talk
Album: Above the Earth, Below the Sky
Released: March 2009
Label: self-published
Genre: post-rock

Purchase date: 27 Jan 2010
Source: iTunes
Format: AAC files

I found myself listening to this instrumental post-rock album over and over again. The music is heavily layered with guitar, and has a mesmerizing complexity and wide dynamic range. Songs can start out spare and ambient, then build to a heavy rock crescendo, only to sonically disintegrate before your ears. This is a real "headphones" album: best experienced with your eyes closed in a dark room through high-end headphones. Outstanding music: at times intense and raw, others quiet and contemplative. The sonic theme is man vs. nature, but with no lyrics, you are left to fill in the storyline. I really loved this album, and continue to listen to it over and over again.

Rating: A

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