Way back in March, the Antlers’ self-titled, self-released debut album was already making with-it music critics’ best-of 2009 lists. Since I’m not with-it and am notably over a week late for even the bandwagon (French Kiss released a “remastered” version to the public last Friday), I hope to make up for it with schmaltziness.
I won’t lie…I’m in love with this album because it plays to my weaknesses for painful emotions and sad backdrop stories. It’s the most cinematic thing I’ve ever heard a band, let alone a freshman band, produce. Part of the intrigue is behind frontman Peter Silberman, who secluded himself from the world for a year and a half to pen all of these songs and has declared that “I don’t think I’ve ever spent so much time and energy on anything in my life“. There have been rumors that Hospice’s underlying story of a man’s destructive relationship with a cancer-striken girlfriend/lover is based on Silberman’s own experiences in a children’s cancer ward. Apparently these rumors are shrouded in a bit of mystery because Silberman declines to comment on any details in order to protect the parties involved, but he does note that the events are somewhat autobiographical. Most of the more recent interviews I’ve read focus on how the songs were inspired by a half-awake, half-dreaming state so I wonder if sleep paralysis is at play here as well. Although maybe I’m just saying that because I find sleep paralysis fascinating in and of itself.
Some may say that contextualizing the album with the back story is already cheating because you’re not judging the music objectively. They may have a point, but I say to hell with objectivism. Bring on the harrowing cathartic experiences. If you’re not one for dark thoughts, death, or listening to an album in its entirety from start to finish, you will likely find Hospice too maudlin for your liking, especially for the summer months…but I might ask you if you’ve got some repression issues or perhaps ADD if you don’t find this album appealing enough to do the legwork for. I had to explore the liner notes, think about the rawness of the alternate titles, and give Hospice a couple of uninterrupted listenings before I put it down to think about it.
I’m glad I did. I feel like I should give some kind of “SPOILERS” alert before I get into a track-by-track play-by-play, which feels weird considering this this an Album Review.
Hospice starts with Prologue. The sound effects mimic a kind of eerie breathing pattern and you can already kind of make out little hospital beds.
We then get into the meat of the story with a falsetto-laden Kettering–whose lyrics suggest the cancer kid (Sylvia??) is tormenting the staff and a new volunteer / staff member / soon to be boyfriend or lover (Peter Silberman??) who decides to dedicate himself to “saving her”.
Sylvia is one of the strongest tracks off the album, and one where Silberman sounds like a 21st century Jeff Buckley. I remember being taken in by this tune when they opened for Frightened Rabbit back in July because of the intense arrangements that nearly blew out our eardrums. This song also suggests that Sylvia is an insanely difficult patient who has drawn in her caretaker dangerously close. One assumes they have an intimate relationship.
Atrophy is one of my picks for top three songs in this story because of its spine-tingly subtlety. The tap-tap-tap percussion line screams sad film score alone and there is a creepy buzzing rattlesnake like sound that tapers out towards the end. The song then dives into a beautiful acoustic swansong:
“Someone, oh anyone. Tell me how to stop this.
She’s screaming, expiring, and I’m her only witness.
I’m freezing, infected, and rigid in that room inside her.
No one’s gonna come as long as I lay still in bed beside her.”
Bear is another disconcerting gem. I can see how it might easily pass as a melancholy nursery rhyme…I guess if Goldilocks and the Three Bears ever landed itself in a parallel Tim-Burton produced universe…
Other standouts include the epically revelatory Two that I’ve already coined as a jangly Sylvia Part Two. Instead of recounting the lyrics I will simply refer you to the liner notes so you can read Sylvia’s prequel for yourself. Wake plays as chamber-gaze, and Epilogue is an acoustic Bear Part Two.
If I had to classify the Antlers’ sound on Hospice I’d be forced to say “Nu Gaze”. If I had to classify Hospice as an album I’d be forced to say “epic”.
If any of you are in Toronto Thursday September 24 they’re coming back to the Horseshoe. Tickets are $10.50 through Soundscapes or Rotate This. One warning though…these guys are LOUD live. Bring your top-notch earplugs if you’ve got ‘em.
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Horaayy..there are 5 comment(s) for me so far ;)
Great album, regardless of feeling awkward with the subject matter or influences – it is beautiful, and glad it is getting its due.
I read a recent interview in which Peter Silberman said he was getting a little freaked out at all the attention it has been receiving…I don’t think he ever thought this would be their “breakout”.
this album is good. I am still having a hard time getting over how awful their show was at the Horseshoe opening up for Frightened Rabbit. Distorted and obnoxiously loud.
finally listened to it..’two’ is magnificent.
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