Release Date: 18 May 2010
Song Count: 12
Duration: 45 minutes, 17 seconds
Rating: 4.6/10
Description:
Song Count: 12
Duration: 45 minutes, 17 seconds
Rating: 4.6/10
Description:
Almost exactly 16 days ago today, indie rock album Infinite Arms graced the public as the third one from Seattle-based band Band of Horses. Said by members of the band to be the first time they truly had a piece considered "theirs" after leaving their old record label and founding their own as well as solidifying an initial permanent line-up, it is a defining release for them in terms of developing their sound, as its contents were written in a reclusive cabin and the pieces putting things together draw from several inspirations and figures. For a process of creation that was as undefined and rocky as it was, the end product ends up reflecting a rather different sort of picture when actually listening in.
A very domestic, warm ambience is spread throughout the entire dozen of tracks found here as well-recognisable rock elements are accompanied by acoustic guitars to bring forth an almost homely feel. Atop this relatively simple construction sound the vocals of Benjamin Bridwell and two backing vocalists, delivering sung words of living in a contemporary world in a way that synergise with the instrumentation to the point of almost camouflaging themselves in the soundscape as a whole. Each track has a similar sense of seamlessly passing by without demanding heaps of one's attention whilst providing small details like lyrical meanings if one does care to sink in further.
In spite of the effort that was put into the music by the band, Infinite Arms struggles with sparking momentum and bringing almost anything new to the table throughout its 45-minute runtime. The sound profiling with the simultaneous use of acoustic and electric guitars for cheery sounding tunes heavily stagnates, and the vocals practically melting into the backdrop is far from a helping factor either, leading to a result that, though pleasant sounding, is far from anything no one has heard before. It does show to be a shame given the more personal significance of this album to the band's history and discography, however with the skill set given and better directions taken, Band of Horses is almost certainly able to conjure up something more artistically interesting going forward - and given that they are still active, that is an even greater likelihood.