Established Band Makes Leap Forward With New Release
By Eric Shapiro
Published 12/11/09 in Skidmore News
3 Stars
For a band that belongs to a genre generally associated with progressive song-structures and unpredictable dynamics, Chicago based instrument post-metal band Pelican has been remarkably been remarkably consistent, if not predictable, over the course of their career. With lengthy, sometimes ponderous songs defined by heavy riffing, some have come to consider Pelican something of a one-trick pony. City of Echoes, their previous album, marked a self-conscious attempt by the band to prove that there was more to their sound than the aforementioned traits. However, what Pelican attempted reinvention failed to receive more than a lukewarm reception from critics. With their latest offering, What We All Come to Need, they have taken a big leap forward, offering a great deal more variety in their dynamics. In addition, Pelican has taken a step out of post-metal pioneers Isis’s playbook, placing a greater emphasis on melody and texture. Guitarists Trevor de Brauw and Laurent Lebec, always the focal point of the band, have incorporated more guitar sounds into their previously limited oeuvre. Longtime fans have no cause to worry however; Pelican has retained its characteristic heaviness and epic, doom metal influenced sprawl. On top of greater variety, the rhythm section, consisting of bassist Larry Herwig and his brother, drummer Bryan Herwig, have stepped up their game, particularly the latter, who has received a great deal of criticism in the past for his lackluster timekeeping and overbearing fills. Pelican’s long-overdo progression is apparent in the album’s first track, “Glimmer,” which starts off in traditional territory before moving into a softer, atmospheric interlude. Its successor, “The Creeper,” has more in common with the band’s older material, showing that Pelican, far from having grown insecure with their old sound, is intent on staying true to their roots. It is hard to criticize them for them for the occasional backslide into familiar territory when the songwriting is of such high quality. That being said, the album really hits its stride with “Specks of Light,” a multi-sectioned epic that cycles back and forth from heavy riffing to soundscape several times, providing a visceral thrill every time the rhythm section kicks back in. Although the later compositions (excluding the final track) are by no means inferior to the early ones, they are quite similar, which may bore listeners depending on how enamored they are with the band’s style. The last song, “Final Breath,” delivers quite the surprise, with vocals, a first for Pelican, as well as unusually melodic guitar playing. If What We Have All Come to Need had arrived earlier in late 1990s or even earlier on in 00s, it may well have been heralded as a post-metal classic in the same vain as Isis’s 1997 release, Oceanic. In 2009, however, the genre has long since developed a greater sense of dynamics and sounds, making Pelican’s great stride more of a personal achievement than anything else. Still, it’s hard to complain about an album as consistently enjoyable and well-crafted as What We Have All Come to Need.
Published 12/11/09 in Skidmore News
3 Stars
For a band that belongs to a genre generally associated with progressive song-structures and unpredictable dynamics, Chicago based instrument post-metal band Pelican has been remarkably been remarkably consistent, if not predictable, over the course of their career. With lengthy, sometimes ponderous songs defined by heavy riffing, some have come to consider Pelican something of a one-trick pony. City of Echoes, their previous album, marked a self-conscious attempt by the band to prove that there was more to their sound than the aforementioned traits. However, what Pelican attempted reinvention failed to receive more than a lukewarm reception from critics. With their latest offering, What We All Come to Need, they have taken a big leap forward, offering a great deal more variety in their dynamics. In addition, Pelican has taken a step out of post-metal pioneers Isis’s playbook, placing a greater emphasis on melody and texture. Guitarists Trevor de Brauw and Laurent Lebec, always the focal point of the band, have incorporated more guitar sounds into their previously limited oeuvre. Longtime fans have no cause to worry however; Pelican has retained its characteristic heaviness and epic, doom metal influenced sprawl. On top of greater variety, the rhythm section, consisting of bassist Larry Herwig and his brother, drummer Bryan Herwig, have stepped up their game, particularly the latter, who has received a great deal of criticism in the past for his lackluster timekeeping and overbearing fills. Pelican’s long-overdo progression is apparent in the album’s first track, “Glimmer,” which starts off in traditional territory before moving into a softer, atmospheric interlude. Its successor, “The Creeper,” has more in common with the band’s older material, showing that Pelican, far from having grown insecure with their old sound, is intent on staying true to their roots. It is hard to criticize them for them for the occasional backslide into familiar territory when the songwriting is of such high quality. That being said, the album really hits its stride with “Specks of Light,” a multi-sectioned epic that cycles back and forth from heavy riffing to soundscape several times, providing a visceral thrill every time the rhythm section kicks back in. Although the later compositions (excluding the final track) are by no means inferior to the early ones, they are quite similar, which may bore listeners depending on how enamored they are with the band’s style. The last song, “Final Breath,” delivers quite the surprise, with vocals, a first for Pelican, as well as unusually melodic guitar playing. If What We Have All Come to Need had arrived earlier in late 1990s or even earlier on in 00s, it may well have been heralded as a post-metal classic in the same vain as Isis’s 1997 release, Oceanic. In 2009, however, the genre has long since developed a greater sense of dynamics and sounds, making Pelican’s great stride more of a personal achievement than anything else. Still, it’s hard to complain about an album as consistently enjoyable and well-crafted as What We Have All Come to Need.