Brother/ Ghost : "Buried"

This Texas band plays a dark and spacious form of post- rock that lingers in a cosmic cloud of opium. They pick it up a little on the second song "Harpies" , but this is only in increments and the bass player tend to wander forward. The females vocals that opened the album are replaced by male vocals that slide around the riffs. Not the greatest singer, reminds me a little of Sebadoh, but with a few more notes on his lower register. The guitar weaves around the often angular and ghostly flow of the bass and drums. They hit the sonic sweet spot where they get heavy without being metal.

The female vocals return on "Cripple" which drips with simmering sonic syrup and hits a sweeter spot at the six minute mark, when it brings an omnious heft to the transition. Her vocals are wailed under a filter of effects. The trade off of the vocals between male and female continues on "Causeway" there are early emo hints of Death Cab and earlier Remy Zero as the guitar soaks in reverb. There are great tones coming from all the instruments on this album and they are perfectly placed amongst one another. The males vocals continue as the guitar takes on a more rock on going into "Freedom". The drummer attacks his kit with the same deliberation as the drummer from Explosions in the Sky used to on their early work, big cymbal crashes ringing out like razor blade bombs. They hit some really powerful accents that have hints of metal to them.

There is  more of a grunged out lumber to "Pendalum" , while it begins to pack a punch it's my least favorite song of the album. That is not to say it sucks it just lacks the x-factor that makes the other songs work so well. They take a more relaxed tone on "Blackdog" and not the Zep tune leans in a Murder By Death direction, the vocal croon is an improvement and the bass player struts his stuff on this one too. While some of the heights this album reaches are not always maintained, the song writing is solid and this impresses me enough to round it up to a 10. One of the best sounding albums of the year. Big things should come this bands way so keep an ear open for them and give this one a listen.