The Clogs: Lantern (Brassland)
(Mostly) instrumental post-rock. Lots of strings (guitar, violin (cello?)). Side project of The National. Even though tracks seem to have heavy classical influence, this is definitely a rock album. Songs have a distinct beauty, but as the music is instrumental, the development of each track takes some attention to follow. Songs typically feature layered instruments repeating different melodies as if loops. Tracks seem to go slightly too long at times, but they still make good atmospheric pieces even when substance is lacking. Explosions in the Sky style rambling guitar. Reminiscent of the instrumental elements of the Books. Very cool music. No FCC. Play 3 (awesome), 5, 8, 11.
1) Kapsburger (2:05) –quick guitar arpeggios. Very beautiful, but lacking in substance.
2) Canon (3:15) –slow, plodding bass/percussion. Repetitive guitar melody. Somber violin played over the guitar/drum combo. Cool sound, but doesn’t really develop.
3) 5/4 (2:42) –quick guitar melody. Stirring violin line over the guitar. About 0:55, percussion + bass arrive, and the whole mix interacts well. Feels rather tense, but cool.
4) 2:3:5 (5:14)- plaintive guitar line. Almost arrhythmic feel has its own logic. Flutes and violin form the main backbone. Track is a bit weak at first, but gets better around 3:40. Splashy steel drums at about 4:05, which works well with increasingly strident guitars.
5) Death and the Maiden (6:22) - EitS-style repetitive guitar, with very sweet and somber violin. Depending on your mood, either very boring or subtly powerful. Abruptly disintegrates at 3:20ish and new motif, rhythm and mood takes over. Fast, repletion of violin. 4:13 cool drums. 4:57 some kind of reed instrument.
6) Lantern (5:47) – slow woodwind, guitar, subtle steel drums. Vocals!!! Minstrel soft singing.
7) Tides of Washington Bridge (4:07) – foreboding acoustic guitar; woodwinds; mood music.
8) The Song of the Cricket (4:44) –electric guitar; eventually crescendo..,gets a little crazy; then atonal violin melody; modernist avant-garde classical ending.
9) Fiddlegree (3:36) – long noodling beginning; quick mandolin strumming; harp; quick guitar; takes a while to gets organized. Cool at 2:50.
10) Compass (4:56) – starts with slow violin and odd pizzicato strings; quiet (brief silences at 1:39 + 3:19); shifts at 3:20 with saxophone, but resumes weird plucking at 4:15ish.
11) Voisins (2:52) –quick staccato reed and moody guitar; early sax solo; cool guitar at 2:00;
12) Tides (Piano) (3:20) –slow, somber piano; a little repetitive; anticlimactic.