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Avg: 3.5 (371 ratings)
- Date Released: January 1, 2009
- Genre: Alternative/Punk
- Style: Alternative
- Label: Dead Oceans / SC Distribution
Simple, gorgeous, and profound: Bowerbirds climb higher
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We Say...
"A simple I-love-you, moon/June song, that just doesn't do much for me," Bowerbirds songwriter Phil Moore commented when discussing the earth-centric nature of his band's 2007 debut Hymns For A Dark Horse. He's had perhaps a partial change of heart since then: On Upper Air, Moore shows willingness to write love songs but, true to his word, they're not of the "moon/June" variety. For Moore and his partner (in music and life) Beth Tacular, the result is a line like "You could move like a secret and slip past my life" (from "Silver Clouds"), or "I don't expect a Southern girl to know the Northern Lights" (from "Northern Lights"). Musically, not much has changed here; the Bowerbirds' sound is still pastoral and elegant, a lush garden bed of strummed, plucked and bowed strings, softly stroked ivory keys, mostly muted percussion, and the buoyant sweetness of Moore and Tacular's voices (sometimes in harmony, sometimes an octave apart in unison). And they haven't foregone their earthly concerns: "You own the stars, you own the thunder, but you have to share it all," they sing on the opening "House Of Diamonds," and on the concluding "This Day," Moore declares his dream of "having a clear view from this house to the heavens." And to the moon, neverminding June.
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They Say...
Upper Air, the Bowerbirds' second release, finds the band continuing in the vein of their first effort; this is rustic, cerebral, ramshackle music. You could call it beard rock -- it's the kind of backwoods, wild-poet-of-the-mountain sound that nods to Bon Iver, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, and Iron & Wine. What makes the Bowerbirds just a touch different lies in how manipulative their songs can be, which is just to say that there are times when Upper Air is exhilarating. "House of Diamonds," what with its stormy percussion and piano chords, and its blocky guitar riffs (so carefully amplified, it almost sounds like frontman Phil Moore is punching the strings), is, in its twine-rough, woodsy way, simply electrifying. Moments like this make it clear that the Bowerbirds are able to capture that certain, heart-snagging something -- it's the kind of thing that brings to mind Arcade Fire's best moments. The Bowerbirds really are at their best when they call up this quietly fiery side of their sound. "Ghost Life"'s wordless chorus (a series of triumphant oh's) shouldn't be as convincingly uplifting as it is -- but it is, and it's a testament to the Bowerbirds' creative chemistry and pop sensibilities. Upper Air only runs into trouble when the Bowerbirds get a little too introspective; some of the slow, meandering tracks here tend to get muddily dirge-like ("Chimes"). But this is a small issue in the wake of all the twisting, strange-hearted stuff this disc has to offer. Those who weren't so sure about the Bowerbirds before might change their tune with this release -- Upper Air is a luminous, wild-eyed affair, and a solid second album to boot.
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| 01. |  |
House of Diamonds |
2:58 |
|
| 02. | |
Teeth |
4:10 |
|
| 03. | |
Silver Clouds |
4:30 |
|
| 04. | |
Beneath Your Tree |
3:40 |
|
| 05. | |
Ghost Life |
5:24 |
|
| 06. | |
Northern Lights |
2:54 |
|
| 07. | |
Chimes |
4:18 |
|
| 08. | |
Bright Future |
4:01 |
|
| 09. | |
Crooked Lust |
4:04 |
|
| 10. | |
This Day |
3:08 |
|
10 Total Tracks, 39:07 Total Length
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Credits
- Ivan Howard - Singer // Phil Moore Four - Performer // Wesley Phillips - Bass (Upright) // Nick Peterson - Mastering // Daniel Murphy - Layout Design // Beth Tacular - Performer // Mark Paulson - Performer
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