ALL OF A SUDDEN I MISS EVERYONE

While undeniably an excellent album, this is not the best album in Explosions in the Sky's discography. Unlike their previous albums, this one incorporates keyboard into the mix of guitars, bass, and drums. In my opinion, this incorporation does little to detract from the music, and the band does indeed put piano to good use in songs like "What Do You Go Home To?" and "So Long, Lonesome."

In comparison to their last album, The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place, this album contains more interesting melodies, but the compositions are less harmonically dense. What made their previous album such a monumental release for me was the brilliant guitar interplay which defined the lush melodies throughout the album. Also, their last album seemed a great deal more structured than this release. I can't say that I necessarily wanted a rehash of their last album, but this is definitely something that I miss.

The music itself is mostly in the typical instrumental post-rock idiom. Most of the melodies, as with their previous albums, is carried by electric guitars. The keyboards here are primarily used for atmospheric effect, with a couple exceptions: track four is a predominantly piano-based song, as is track six to a lesser degree. I've always considered Explosions' drumming to be a bit generic and uninspired, though it fits the music well enough I suppose. My favorite tracks are the latter three, as they seem to have the most cohesion.

Overall, an excellent addition to any progger's collection and a must-have for post-rock aficionados. Four stars.