Friday, December 14, 2012

Album Review: Balmorhea - The Stranger

Balmorhea
The Stranger
***and1/2 out of *****

Stranger finds the Texas rooted (if not based) band Balmorhea stretching out and packing more of a focus into the compositional, instrumental arraignments. Instrumentation has increased as well with chimes, violin strings, vibes, drums and electricity added to the acoustic guitars and flavors of disks past.

Stretching out more into the cosmic unknown works for the band as the opening track "Days" is an elegant jaunt twirling and swelling with grace and ease before fading out.  Violins are buzzing before things turn upbeat funky for "Masollan" while the piano plucking and strumming in "Artifact" causes a relaxing sensation that seeps all over this disk. "Jubi" is a rising proceeding that sounds like a sunrise after "Dived" adds a cinematic appeal.  "Fake Fealty" provides a grittier tone with a fuzz laden electric guitar but the overall sound never becomes to stressful. 

The ease and fluidity the songs roll out can maker Stranger slip into background music at times but it deserves more attention as multi-instrumentalists Micheal Mueller and Rob Lowe have crafted an easy going, sonically rewarding album.
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Not more much more to add, Balmorhea craft some really good, easy going songs minus words.  If that is your bag (we certainly dig on it), check out the band here, buy the album here and peep some samples below:
"Days"
 

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