Review:

on 2009-09-10 Archelon Said:

I find myself disappointed by this, and for once I can pinpoint things about it - one big one and several little ones. The big one, and it is a BIG one, is Merritt's voice. It lacks both power and interest, and to some extent this is compensated for by the musicians throughout the album - they seem not to make as much noise as a four-piece should.

Consequently, most of the album feels halfhearted and a bit lazy, and this does nothing for the vocals which start to drone during the very first track. It's a great pity because the guitar interplay is good and the lyrics are good too, but both need to be louder, and played/sung with more punch.

There are some redeeming features - the slower, more gentle 'Mourning Dove' is a pleasurable listen, mostly because this style seems to suit our Brenna down to the ground, her voice has texture all of a sudden, and the acoustic guitars are played with passion. On 'Static and Satellites' too, we have touches of finesse here and there. But it's not enough to rescue the rest - the melody seems to be built around rescuing her v oice, using the same cadence over and over, and only in one tone for most of it. A shame.
Rating: 5/10