The last time The Antlers visited Buffalo, it felt like a coming out party of sorts. The band was touring in support of their emotionally deep album Hospice and although The Ninth Ward was fairly crowed, it seemed as if most of audience was still in the processes of discovering the trio. Sure, some of those in attendance could sing along to the catchier tunes, but the darker/slower songs were still somewhat obscure. Fast forward two years and we find that The Anters have grown considerably more popular. After successful festival gigs at Lollapalooza and sold out shows from NYC to LA, the band has grown into a staple of the indie scene. But with all of this success, many fans wondered what would the band do next. Would they continue on the same path or go the risky route and try something new? And if they dared to try something different, would it be any good?
Well The Anters are back again with their latest offering Burst Apart, and it looks as if there was no reason to worry whatsoever. This time around the band has created an album that builds upon its emotional elements while still exploring mysterious uncharted sonic territory. Burst Apart is a deep, deep album that will take multiple listens before you can really start to understand it's complexity. One doesn't causally listen to Burst Apart, one dissects it one note at a time.
Because Hospice was such a hit, the band didn't need to craft another album of shinny indie pop to grab our attention. They already had it. And this freedom allowed the band to head into a more meditative experimental direction that's deeper and more introspective than anything crafted before it. It's not that these songs aren't as catchy. They are just different. The first track "I Don't Want to Love" has these shimmering guitar layers while "Rolled Together" creates an laid back, ethereal sound. The first single 'Parentheseess' has a crunchy Radiohead like guitar vibe that reminds me of song 'Optimistic'. But even with the more experimental sonic direction, the band still has what it takes to tug at your heart. The final track on the album "Putting the Dog Asleep" is raw with emotion and describes an relationship collapsing upon itself.
With Hospice, the band grabbed our attention with simple yet addictive emotional rock that was catchy at first glance but also poetic and deep in its roots. With Burst Apart, the band takes us to places we didn't know they could go, and end up creating an album that's more haunting, more challenging, and more rewarding than anything we could have imagined.
~bw
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