I have been a massive fan of instrumental rockers This Will Destroy You for a few years now - their show alongside And So I Watch You From Afar at Underworld in Camden back in October 09 was something to behold. So to say I was excited about the release of their new LP Tunnel Blanket was a wee bit of an understatement.
Well, I am a wee bit disappointed.
Whilst there are some amazingly rendered sonic textures throughout the album, especially on tracks like 'Communal Blood', I don't really know what the band are trying to achieve here. They were much more bloodthirsty and oracular in their self titled album - I feel that their decision to go down a more doom-laden path was a admirable one, but without the nous to actually infuse it all with readily definable ideas.
Also they call themselves "doomgaze", because they hate being referred to as post-rock. Now the Texans are nice guys - met them that night back in 09 and they were a timid bunch - yet the derivation of such a genre "choice" is pointless. Just play the music dudes.
Ok, ok, I will readily admit that I came to this with very, very high expectations. There are moments here that are brilliant and truly transcend. And many of the tracks will be great in a live aesthetic. Its just that I wanted something else from them, and its not what I got. Sure, we dont always get what we want from our beloved artistes - and that is invariably a good thing. Ill just suck it up, I guess...
This Will Destroy You - Communal Blood
This Will Destroy You - Powdered Hand
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