For some reason it seems most bands who fall under the atmospheric post-rock umbrella originate from desolate corners of the world. Maybe it’s the inherent reclusiveness from living in such remote areas that breeds music with flourishing ebbs of high and low, but California’s Early & Often have seemingly shot my geographical theory with their epic and delicate soundscapes that push and pull with beautiful tension, often taking a shoegaze route with their haunting arrangements.
Primarily a calm affair, these 6 tracks are armed with diversity including pianos, quaint strumming and an eerie quality to frontman Jeffrey Wright’s emotive, graceful singing. Drummer/programmer Cliff Mattis provides a mish mash of day-to-day noises and various sound clips from movies, adding a different dimension to the Early & Often sound, giving it a very distinct foundation. Often sparse, sometimes majestic, there is an underlying soaring feeling here, the often lengthy songs layering atypical dynamics that shift from reverb friendly guitars to quaint piano melodies to cinematic-like keys.
If you’re like me and you really enjoy bands like Mogwai and Explosions In The Sky but often wonder ‘what if there was some singing involved’, Early & Often will be a nice addition to your collection. This sort of cascading post-rock often doesn’t entail a voice, but Early & Often’s use of vocals is a refreshing change in an often voiceless genre, and their skillful use of hushed vs loud sensibilities are impeccable, making Present No Fiction, Fear No Tense an undeniably engaging listen for those with an ear for the unconventional.
– via Tom Haugen / The Byke Rack
