2008 Woodie Awards
Cease to Begin is introspective followup for Band of Horses
Erin Shea
Issue date: 10/18/07 Section: Entertainment
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10/18/07 - Band of Horses has been through a bit of an upheaval since the release of its debut, 2006's Everything All the Time. It shows on its sophomore effort, Cease to Begin.
With the departure of co-founder Mat Brooke, the band relocated from Seattle to Mt. Pleasant, S.C. and the southern influence is obvious on its latest release - a slower, more graceful, and less anthemic record by far.
The first song, "Is There a Ghost," is probably the most similar to the material on Band of Horses' debut.
In the song, lead singer Ben Bridwell simply repeats the phrases "I could sleep" and "When I lived alone/Is there a ghost in my house?" over slowly-building guitar and drums that finally swell just after the first minute, creating a surprisingly satisfying opener.
The following song, "Ode to LRC," beautifully shifts from intense guitars to sweeping, calm strings and back again, emphasizing the deeply poignant lyrics.
The song also showcases how perfect Bridwell's delivery can be when he sings the line, "The world is such a wonderful place," and actually makes it sound genuine and believable.
The pairing of ballads "No One's Gonna Love You" and "Detlef Schrempf" proved to be the first misstep on Cease to Begin, dragging the first half of the album down with the forlorn lyrics and feel.
On their own both songs are beautiful, but together it's just a bit too much bleakness to wrap into eight minutes.
Thankfully, they are followed by the more up-tempo, brighter song, "The General Specific," a fun foot-stomper of a tune that stands out as one of the album's best tracks, with Bridwell's country-tinged falsetto ringing over the hand claps and the high-pitched, swinging piano that dominate the song.
After the instrumental track that follows "The General Specific" comes the head rush that is the dizzying, "Islands on the Coast." Its fast guitar and drum-driven beat backed by gorgeous synths perfectly accentuate the reverb in Bridwell's voice.
The only disappointment in the remainder of the album comes during the penultimate track, "Cigarettes, Wedding Bands," whose bitter lyrics aren't quite delivered forcefully enough by Bridwell.
It picks up from there, with the closer, "Window Blues," whose twangy, calm feel sums up this more mature outing nicely with its evocative lyrics and slow, sweet melody.
Cease to Begin may show a more mature, calm side of Band of Horses, but they still have some punch. Their newest outing is still firmly rooted in all that made the group so astoundingly good.
Ben Bridwell's voice is still clear and his lyrics are still as moving as ever. The band still employs the same vibrant, sweeping, textured sound. It's simply less cathartic and more introspective, a change that finally gives Band of Horses a chance to slow down and enjoy the ride.
With the departure of co-founder Mat Brooke, the band relocated from Seattle to Mt. Pleasant, S.C. and the southern influence is obvious on its latest release - a slower, more graceful, and less anthemic record by far.
The first song, "Is There a Ghost," is probably the most similar to the material on Band of Horses' debut.
In the song, lead singer Ben Bridwell simply repeats the phrases "I could sleep" and "When I lived alone/Is there a ghost in my house?" over slowly-building guitar and drums that finally swell just after the first minute, creating a surprisingly satisfying opener.
The following song, "Ode to LRC," beautifully shifts from intense guitars to sweeping, calm strings and back again, emphasizing the deeply poignant lyrics.
The song also showcases how perfect Bridwell's delivery can be when he sings the line, "The world is such a wonderful place," and actually makes it sound genuine and believable.
The pairing of ballads "No One's Gonna Love You" and "Detlef Schrempf" proved to be the first misstep on Cease to Begin, dragging the first half of the album down with the forlorn lyrics and feel.
On their own both songs are beautiful, but together it's just a bit too much bleakness to wrap into eight minutes.
Thankfully, they are followed by the more up-tempo, brighter song, "The General Specific," a fun foot-stomper of a tune that stands out as one of the album's best tracks, with Bridwell's country-tinged falsetto ringing over the hand claps and the high-pitched, swinging piano that dominate the song.
After the instrumental track that follows "The General Specific" comes the head rush that is the dizzying, "Islands on the Coast." Its fast guitar and drum-driven beat backed by gorgeous synths perfectly accentuate the reverb in Bridwell's voice.
The only disappointment in the remainder of the album comes during the penultimate track, "Cigarettes, Wedding Bands," whose bitter lyrics aren't quite delivered forcefully enough by Bridwell.
It picks up from there, with the closer, "Window Blues," whose twangy, calm feel sums up this more mature outing nicely with its evocative lyrics and slow, sweet melody.
Cease to Begin may show a more mature, calm side of Band of Horses, but they still have some punch. Their newest outing is still firmly rooted in all that made the group so astoundingly good.
Ben Bridwell's voice is still clear and his lyrics are still as moving as ever. The band still employs the same vibrant, sweeping, textured sound. It's simply less cathartic and more introspective, a change that finally gives Band of Horses a chance to slow down and enjoy the ride.