A fine continuation of post-rock goodness
Making an entirely instrumental album that stays interesting throughout is by no means an easy task, but Irish post-rockers God Is An Astronaut have managed to deliver yet again. Their third album, Far From Refuge, doesn’t stray far from the nuts and bolts of the genre but still manages to create an enjoyable listening experience. This time around they have dropped some of their music's atmospheric elements in favor of a slightly more upbeat and tangible sound. Guitar and occasionally piano drive each track forward while drums, bass, and keyboards provide an excellent backdrop. While not overwhelming on their own, each instrument plays its own distinct part in the mix; and in this case the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
The first thing one will notice from the beginning is that the band has definately picked up the pace a bit, starting the album off with a rather catchy and distinctive drum beat. This pattern continues; each track on the first part of the album grabs the listener’s attention early on, as opposed to their more lathargic previous relase All Is Violent, All is Bright. The latter part of the album sees a slight return to more atmospheric, “space-y” material similar to their last release, if only for a few tracks. However, the album as a whole lacks much of the soaring orchestration present in their previous release. This does not mean that there is no depth to the music. The excellent melodies, pristine recording quality, and precise instrument tones are enough to make this a great album in its own right.
While their different musical approach on Far From Refuge is not necessarily a bad thing, passionate fans of their previous releases will undoubtedly be somewhat disappointed. Nevertheless, the album is still a very enjoyable listen. Fans of active, guitar driven post-rock will definitely want to devote some attention to this album.
| Reviewer: Josh Coppola Added: April 29th 2007 |
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