THE EARTH IS NOT A COLD DEAD PLACE

Explosions in the sky worked on their skillset, got more ambitious and mature in their songwriting. Songs became longer which is always is a risky decision in post-rock. Either you make things develop slower or you need to add more ideas to compensate for the length. I think that the band is somewhere in between. Increased attention to sonic details expanded their guitar radius space, while the rhythm section attentively complements the atmosphere. Music is more memorable and optimistic compared to their debut album. From the album tracks, I appreciate the haunting "Memorial" most, for its elaborate grave post-rock interplay. For more optimistic driven listeners, I recommend the last track with a clear melody line "Your hand in mine".