THE FOUR TREES

The power of Post-Rock in tiny bite-size pieces.

...And that's exactly what Caspian does, show how powerful Post-Rock can be in songs that are relatively short for such an epic sound. Like Saxon Shore these guys don't like to keep the crowd waiting for the good parts of their music, unlike Saxon Shore they do it with such power and aggression that it's downright intimidating! I'm not kidding here, these guys could easily damage your ears if not careful.

The music on this album is pretty standard post-rock with crescendos and soft/loud dynamics. There's nothing new on this album nor innovative. So, where's the fun in that? Well, while some bands are breaking boundaries and pushing the limits of what can be called Post-Rock, there are other bands that stay true to their roots and try to perfect the old and worn Post-Rock sound (other just play without caring what people say. Props to them for keeping the genre alive). Caspian are one of those traditional bands and they're trying to bring new life to the genre without doing anything new, the weird thing is that it works!

While many people will simply ignore them for their lack of originality, others will find great excitement and enjoyment in them. I must admit that I was one of the former at first (partly due to their EP which I didn't liked at all) and it wasn't up until now that I decided to give them a chance, it was amazing! I played the album at the highest volume level (the only way to enjoy it) and just sat back and sucked it all in. The music is very positive and the melodies are uplifting to say the least! When listening to the crescendos on this album one's filled with so much life and joy that it can brighten anyone's day in mere minutes, on this aspect Caspian reminds me of Yndi Halda, but more guitar-oriented. The music is just plain loud throughout most of the album except for some acoustic and soft moments in between like Sea Lawn which maintains the same level of quality as the louder songs, but there are others that sound a bit pointless (like The Dove).The main problem with Caspian's music is their own strength! The album leaves you exhausted because of their massive sound and it's pretty hard to take so much in just one sitting, not that the album is long though(its one hour-long).

I was one of those fans that was growing weary about the state of Post-Rock, but Caspian helped me appreciate those bands that aren't really innovative while still making wonderful music. This goes to show you that you don't have to be special to be good and I learned this recently and the hard way. So if you're looking for something new in the genre then look elsewhere, but if you want some massive, uplifting and bone-crushing music then look out for Caspian. Highly recommended!

The couple of years since Caspian’s debut EP have been good to the band. Their sound, while still not particularly innovative or genre-bending, is still quite appealing for pretty much the same reasons any other good post-rock bands is appealing: striking arrangements, invigorating crescendos, and soothing lulls in between. So apparently these guys have been good students of style.

What distinguishes them? Not much really. Their compositions tend to be a bit tighter and more to-the- point than some of their more ambitious brethren. You won’t find them indulging in side-long epics; the longest track on this (their first full-length album) is only nine minutes and most are around five, veritable interludes for bands like Godspeed You! Black Emperor or Sigur Rós. But lots of other post- rock bands put out albums with shorter songs, so that’s nothing new really.

And they don’t spend much time with the lulls and ambience either (which is largely why their tracks are so short I suppose). Here again though there are others of the same ilk: Explosions in the Sky and Tortoise among them.

But still the guitar churn, feedback and well-placed loops have great energy, and the band doesn’t skimp when it comes to layering sounds that wait to be discovered when the volume dial passes eight or so. The opening track “Moksha” is a perfect example with a quickly-building crescendo that adds percussion and synthesized accompaniment to the guitar drone almost immediately, followed by a fuzz- laden buildup that catches your ear and holds it all the way through the follow-on “Some are White Light” before finally backing off just a bit on the more staid “Sea Lawn”. But by the time things let up just a bit you’re nearly twenty minutes into the album and wondering where the time went. For some reason that strikes me as a bit impressive.

“Crawlspace” is a track that also appeared on a 2006 promo EP, and this one also hits the ground running and has very little letup. The rhythm guitar here makes the whole thing work with a persistent and rapidly-building surge to the climax you know is coming, and there is no disappointment when it does. Again, nothing novel, just good music and well-orchestrated.

“Book IX” features some syncopated drumming that gives it a bit of added intensity and the guitar work is particularly clean and energetic, while “The Dropsonde” (what’s a ‘dropsonde’ anyway?) and “Brombie” tend toward a bit of self-indulgence with the drone and recorded loops, but who’s quibbling. “Our Breath in Winter” sounds like something out of an Explosions in the Sky album, a comparison that can be made of several Caspian tracks, and “the Dove” is just ambient filler.

The guitar work on “Asa” sounds suspiciously like “Moksha” although I can’t say I really mind, and “…Reprise” sort of summarizes the whole album (hence the title).

So all in all a more consistent effort than their EP, but the band doesn’t seem to have quite found a unique voice just yet. A good album though, and worth seeking out if you’re into post-rock with lots of energy. Three stars, and here’s looking forward to hearing what they come up with next.

peace