Man, where does the time go when
you are on vacation? I’ve been meaning
to write this review for two days now, but fun keeps intruding. I guess if something is going to intrude, it
might as well be fun. Wait a minute –
writing music reviews is fun as well. Have
I been waylaid from the righteous path of the CD Odyssey? Never!
On with the album!
Disc 470 is…Infinite Arms
Year of Release: 2010
What’s up with the Cover? A time lapsed photo of the stars makes it feel like
the universe is spinning – I think it is.
Whether it is infinite or not is a matter of some debate, but for our
lowly human purposes, it might as well be.
How I Came To Know It: When Beck came to Victoria on the “Modern Guilt”
tour in 2008, Band of Horses opened for him.
At that time they were promoting their second album, “Cease to Begin”
and I really liked their sound, and bought it.
When “Infinite Arms” came out it was just me buying their latest release
– I think as a gift for Sheila who likes them even more than I do.
How It Stacks Up: We have three Band of Horses albums (their first
three). “Infinite Arms” and “Cease to
Begin” are different, but equally great.
I guess if there was a photo finish, I’d put “Cease to Begin” slightly
out in front, but not by much.
Rating: 3 stars but close to 4
When I
heard Band of Horses live in 2008 I remember thinking, “this band is going to
be big” but it wasn’t until 2010’s “Infinite Arms” that they started to get the
recognition they deserved. Even now, it
is pretty muted, based on wikipedia’s chart information.
It is
understandable why this record did better than the previous one, commercially
speaking. Both albums are in the
indie-pop genre, but previous records were a bit more raw and folksy. “Infinite Arms” has a more produced and
polished sound, with songs that are slightly more up tempo and more likely to
induce idle toe-tapping while you listen.
While I’m
often critical of over-produced music, Band of Horses does it just right on “Infinite
Arms.” It is less raw, but the
production values really suit the sound.
Ben Bidwell’s voice is high and distinct. On earlier albums, it is filled with a
mournful quality that makes you imagine he’s singing around a campfire, filling
a lonely woodscape with his vocals.
On “Infinite
Arms” the production puts some extra reverb into the sound, and it makes his
vocals both bigger and more diffuse at the same time. If earlier albums are like hearing him in the
dark in the woods, “Infinite Arms” is like hearing him out on a plain, under a
starry sky (making the album cover all the more appropriate).
As far
as the rest of the band, they play very tightly together, although there aren’t
really any sections where they need to stand on their heads. Like a lot of recent indie music, the
individual instruments aren’t called on to carry the song on their own, but
instead they combine with one another to make an ambient sound, with often very
simple melodies strung through them.
I also
give this album full credit for being tastefully restrained, with only twelve
tracks. Most of these songs are only
three or four minutes long. There is nothing
wrong with a song being longer as a general rule, but these songs are simple
melody/mood pieces, and if they were to extend out too long, they’d start to
feel like they were dragging. A wise
decision was made by the band to keep the songs short and leave you wanting
more.
One of
the best examples of this is “On My Way
Back Home,” an introspective song about the artistic process, and the
doubts we all have that we’re creating something worthy. At the same time, it is a song that
surrenders to the process of artistic creation as much as it dreads it. Ultimately all we can do is be aware, and
honestly create the best we’re capable of.
It is good advice for writers of all stripes, and the kind of thing that
often comes to you on a long walk home, sometimes aided by liquor.
Other
songs, like “N.W. Apartment” are also
about the artistic process, but delivered in a more upbeat song, that sounds
more like a party than anything. I
imagine a bunch of people crashing a northwest apartment in some city to jam
until the neighbours complain, and then maybe a little longer.
All the
songs have a big atmospheric quality that makes you feel like you’re standing
under a night sky, with the universe looking down at you just as intently as
you are looking up. The songs are like
an expansive hug around the world, aided mostly by the unique quality of Bidwell’s
voice.
A minor
quibble is the way the liner notes are presented. Instead of a booklet, or fold-out, you get a
sleeve of photographs, with information each song on the back, presented in
loose format within a sleeve. It looks
like someone’s home photography, but not in a good way. On the reverse of each ‘card’ you get a rough
drawing of an object, sometimes with the song lyrics printed, but often just a line
or two. I don’t like the presentation,
nor do I like the inconsistent approach to including lyrics. Include them or don’t, but enough with the
overly self-conscious presentation. It
is that sort of thing that gives indie musicians a bad name.
This album
doesn’t blow me away, but I really enjoy listening to it, and I can see Band of
Horses being around for a long time, and continuing to get critical accolades
for some time to come. At least I hope
that’s what happens.
Best tracks: Compliments, Blue Beard, On My Way Back Home, Evening
Kitchen, Older, Neighbor
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