Skip to main content

NOSTALGIA PICK #5: "He Has Left Us Alone But Shards Of Light Still Sometimes Grace The Corner Of Our Rooms" by Silver Mt. Zion

   Silence is something rarely explored in modern music, and for that the ludicrously titled but haunting He Has Left Us Alone... is an utterly absorbing listen. Instead of the album bringing the music to you, you are invited to lean in and discover, an experience similar to understated, subtle thrillers like Denis Villenuve's Prisoners (seriously, go watch it if you haven't already). Of course silence isn't really silence, and the silence on He Has Left Us Alone... is cold and grainy, a time to sit and marinade in the experiences you are being encouraged into. This is an album similar to another previous Nostalgia Pick, Swans' Soundtracks for the Blind, not only in the sound of it but the way it has morphed and changed with me over time. Its openness has allowed it to mould and develop as I have, and I can't recommend it or state its importance enough. Absolutely, it's pretentious and self-indulgent, but there is a time and a place for that, and He Has Left Us Alone... surpasses a lot other similar records for me - it really does take you to its own, unique place that has become increasingly familiar and welcoming to me as time has passed.

   Are there any records you can always come back to and get something different out of it each time? Let me know in the comments, I'd love to discuss with you!
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

1 YEAR LATER: "22, A Million" by Bon Iver

   Bon Iver's third studio album turns 1 in about a week (where did that year go?), so I thought it would be interesting to talk a bit about how my impressions of the album have changed - or how they haven't - over the last 12 months. When this album was released I was more excited than I think I ever have been to hear a new album. For Emma, Forever Ago is one of my all time favourites, and I love his self-titled second album too, so I had huge expectations for this album, but was also wary that expectations might ruin my experience of the music. This was particularly the case for 22, A Million , because it is unlike anything else Justin Vernon has released. There have been hints at this more processed, electronic direction previously, like the song "Woods" on the Blood Bank EP and occasional flourishes on Bon Iver , but 22, A Million is a drastic departure from the Bon Iver sound we had grown accustomed to at this point in time. Or at least, that's what I thought...
Post a Comment
Read more

ALBUM REVIEW: "Mesmer" by Northlane

   On Friday Northlane released their fourth studio album Mesmer without any warning, and it's pretty awesome. Fans that were keeping up had been getting hints for a while, with cryptic announcements and a seriously cool chatbot, but Mesmer was a complete surprise for everyone, and one that has brought with it a more cohesive and complete sound for the band.    2015's  Node was a great way to open up the second chapter in the band's trajectory and featured a fantastic performance from new singer Marcus Bridge, but definitely felt like a transition album for a band that had forged such a signature sound and was in the middle of great change. Mesmer immediately feels a lot more comfortable than Node  for a bunch of reasons, which is to be expected now the band has been touring with Bridge almost non-stop for more than two years. While the production on Node didn't quite fit the sound they were going for and seemed a little flat across the board, David Bend...
Post a Comment
Read more