GRAVENHURST'S THE WESTERN LANDS

Here is some sonic mystery for that autumn mix you are no doubt compiling…this time from Bristol UK’s sleek and sharp shoegaze revivalists Gravenhurst. While these masters of mood have plugged away at creating various songscapes over the course of three albums now, none of their previous albums sound as diverse and finely cut as The Western Lands (Warp). “Song Among the Pine”, while swept wide open with minimal bits of crisp instrumentation packs spot on folkie elegance and donned in black dignity into its spacious boundaries. Opener “Saints” recalls the same sweet, yet sedated guitar strummers Red House Painters once whisked out of thin air. And both “Trust” and the title track seize wobbly, 60’s guitar pop inspired riffs, all while sustaining a sinfully smooth austere. The flip side of The Western Lands…look to the track “Hollow Men” as the best example…reveals a big amped band that still refuses to recover from the ferocious fits Loveless once put them under. All of this, and there still remains singer Nick Talbot’s murder ballad (“The Collector”) tales, and cautious confessions of wrong and regret (“She Dances”). – David Pitz

Gravenhurst's video for "Hollow Men"



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