In a sonic landscape spilling over with overblown speakers and ADD electronics, subtlety can be an artist's greatest strength. Bon Iver's For Emma, Forever Ago was one of the most remarkable releases of 2008, armed only with stark acoustics and a gentle falsetto. With summer coming to an end, The Antlers have released this year's subtle masterpiece. However, Bon Iver comparisons begin and end with the band's sparse musicianship, ethereal vocals, and songs of loss.Titled Hospice, the album uses a first-person narrative to tell the story of a man losing his lover to bone cancer, watching her die as he sits bedside, all while detailing memories, regrets and grief as a result of her death.
The record was self-released by the band in March, but its entire stock soon sold out due to overwhelming demand. This led to the band singing with Frenchkiss Records, who will re-release the album officially on August 18th.
Every aspect of the LP gives weight to its sober subject matter, from lead singer Peter Silberman's soft voice to hauntingly reverberated keyboards. Songs crescendo with the help of drummer Michael Lerner and multi-instrumentalist Darby Cicci, but the spotlight deservedly stays on Silberman, whose voice and piano or guitar alone define every track.
Using his backing band to only highlight his most urgent emotions, Silberman often chooses to go it alone with sole accompaniment from either a keyboard or guitar, creating an intimate sonic space for the listener. At times, the solo performer is given an aural backdrop that sounds more like the beeping and hissing of hospital room machines rather than looped electronics, all of which add to the elegiac collection of songs.
Whether taken in small doses or digested as a whole, Hospice makes for one of the most personal and profound listening experiences of the year.
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