RED FOREST

"If These Trees Could Talk" were sort of my introduction to the genre of post-rock though I've listened to various bands from this genre while not really understanding that it was a genre in itself.

There were 2 things that got me hooked on to If These Trees Could Talk: - the first was the name of the band: i could be an album or a song but was quite an unusual name for the band itself! - "When The Big Hand Buries The Twelve": with a haunting visual backdrop on Youtube (the best source for discovering new music, if you ask me!); from 5:00 to the end is one of the most interesting sequences i've heard...

The guys do a lot of things right in "Red Forest": - stay away from long, meandering "ambience" sequences. most post-rock bands tend to overplay this as an essential part of the genre but I just think its lazy... - a good balance of heavy and soft passages - a variety of sounds, all linked to a strong core theme

the last 26-27 minutes of this album, from "Red Forest" through "When The Big Hand Buries The Twelve" is simply amazing. the band doesn't let down even for a bit and produce some of the best playing and composing they've done so far.

in summary: a big improvement over their previous work, leaves me waiting for their next.