Friday, September 18, 2009

A Second Wind Comes

Welcome Joy – The Cave Singers

Earlier this year I was knocked over by this band’s initial release, Invitation Songs, unbeknownst to me at the time a 2008 release, it was brooding, harrowing and had a sacred spirit and darkened soul about it. Folk music of the bottle as much as the heart. About a month ago I got my hands on the newest release and I am even more engrossed than before.
There is nothing complex, overwhelming or even new to be discovered here. But just like Deer Tick, the critics focus on the lack of music evolution being displayed by the Cave Singers, but in so doing they miss the most obvious and essential aspect of the music. It sounds damn good.

The new album parallels in almost two many ways. I can swear the same riffs and arrangements appear on this album, but somehow they sound better here. They have scrapped but a bit of the doom and gloom and the religious overtones are few and far between. The range is tighter here but there is more of the good stuff. A few tracks on their original release felt fuzzy, under thought and not attention holding. I find myself engaged with every track on Joy. Beach House plays as their most ambitious song to date, but it still has a welcoming understated quality to it. I find that I Don’t Mind is the song I can’t get enough of. The album gains traction the deeper in you are willing to go.

Not to say anything is outstanding, just good music, done well.

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