“I’ve come to prefer sleeping outdoors.”
November 6, 2009
You like Arcade Fire? You like Fleet Foxes? You like Grizzly Bear? If you said yes to at least two of the previous questions, The Antlers may well be your next favourite band.
In 2007 The Antlers’ front-man, Peter Silberman released the Cold War EP (which I haven’t listened to yet, shush), and In the Attic of the Universe, a cute little 8 track album which you listen to the first time and contently forget is happening, then listen to at 1 in the morning one day on your Skullies ‘cause you feel like some experimental indie, and realise is absolutely amazing. Oh, and by the way, the phrase ‘absolutely amazing’ doesn’t cover it. That doesn’t even cover the first track. Or even half of the first track. Then, in 2008, perhaps inspired by his own goodness, the New York Hospitals EP was released (I haven’t listening to that yet either, but oh God, I will).
The first time I listened to In the Attic of the Universe, I was in the mood for new music, found a random indie band and downloaded two of their albums. I started listening to it on speakers. Carried on with my menial tasks and was happy to have found some more music to add to that collection of stuff I listen to when I don’t want to have to take notice of what I’m listening to too much. Note: this was just the first time I listened to it. All consecutive listens have blown my mind.
Right now, I’m listening to Hospice, which they released this year, and I can barely bring myself back from musical heaven long enough to type gush over it. Basically, The Antlers are everything I love about all my favourite ‘indie’ bands (like Arcade Fire and Grizzly Bear), all coaxed together, caught and constructed into a shimmering tower of dreamy, touching, beautiful, and sometimes even tear-jerkingly sad perfection.
In the Attic of the Universe starts somewhat unexpectedly, grainy knocking and footstep recordings building slowly into one of the most beautifully crafted songs I’ve heard in years. The vocals, varying flawlessly between soft and melodic, and strong, yet moving, left me, at least, practically speechless.
The tracks flow into one another seamlessly, and the whole album creates an atmosphere which most bands could only dream of making. On my second listen to this masterpiece, at the end of the album, I wanted to listen to it all over again, but forced myself to listen to their 2009 album instead, as I hadn’t listened to it before. By this time, I was struggling to believe that they could top In the Attic, but as it turns out, lucky for fans, The Antlers fall into the category of band that stays consistently good.
Hospice is the sadder of the albums, the themes darker, the music more dreamy, piano parts even more touching. Track 2, Kettering, did very nearly make me cry, I’m not ashamed to admit. And it’s been a long, long time since music touched me that deeply.
I could talk ‘till next week about how much you should be listening to this band, like, right now, but I would just be repeating myself. So, I’m just going to upload the two beautiful albums to some hosting website so I can link, below, and screw that it’s illegal, ‘cause I’m going to buy both of these albums as soon as I can find them. I actually want to support a band if they’re going to be this damn amazing, and I hope that if they get any more fans from my writing this blog, then those fans would want to do the same. The two EPs are available for free download from the band’s website, so I’ll link you to that, too.
Cold War EP (2007): http://antlersmusic.com/coldwar/Cold%20War.zip
In the Attic of the Universe (2007): http://www.megaupload.com/?d=S5DBJ6EE
New York Hospitals (2008): http://www.antlersmusic.com/newyorkhospitals.zip
Hospice (2009): http://www.megaupload.com/?d=ZF5UM58V
Please, please download these. I’m actually begging. For your and my musical sanities.
