Chasing After Shadows... - Hammock (2010)
My first impression early on the record was that this was pretty generic post- rock. It has just about everything you’d want from the sound, except maybe anything to distinguish it from a different artist.
My project demands that I listen all the way through a record, though, and I’m glad I did. Because once you find a way into it, you hear a lot more than just generic post rock.
They do the build-and-crescendo thing very well early in the record on The Backward Step and Tristia. This was where I started jotting down my notes, and while it was fine I didn’t think it was terribly impressive.
However, they move on to some great Sigur Ros-style wordless (or at least indecipherable) vocal on Breathturn that gives it a chilling beauty.
By the time I got to the absolutely gorgeous Andalusia, I was fully on board. The spacey post rock isn’t the point–it’s just a layover on the road to something beautiful, touching, and epic.
They tack into more purely ambient territory on tracks like In The Nothing Of A Night and Something Other Than Remaining.
Towards the end of the record (not counting the bonus tracks they’ve subsequently added), we get maybe the most complete expression of their vision of slow-building, clear-eyed cinematic vision. You Lost The Starlight In Your Eyes is heart-breaking and resolute, keeping you listening closely for its whole 9 minute runtime.
So I owe Hammock an apology. My normal short attention span would have robbed me of a very rewarding experience today.
