This Will Destroy You | This Will Destroy You
This Will Destroy You’s new self titled album is… difficult to describe. It has all the qualities of a great motion picture soundtrack. Clear narrative qualities, catchy melodies, and no lyrics. It’s also a very dark album. It’s sort of like classical meets modern indie rock.
OK, try this another way. Take your favorite depressed album, the one you keep on hand for those days when the world seems to just hate you and you don’t want to feel better. Now, take away everything that could make it feel like that album was written for anyone but you. That’s the kind of tragic wonder that you’ll get out of this album.
It doesn’t hurt that the band clearly has major chops, both compositionally and instrumentally. If their live show is as tight as they are on the recording, it would definitely be something to see. It sounds almost as if there’s just one instrument being played. You can get the same kind of experience watching a really good chamber orchestra being conducted by a phenomenal conductor, almost as though the conductor is playing the orchestra rather than just directing them.
While this really is a good album, it does have one major flaw. It’s easy to listen to, but also easy to tune out. Without a vocalist, there’s nothing you really have to pay attention to in order to get the songs. With that in mind, if you’re not really paying attention, there’s a lot you’re probably going to miss. And, since it is such a moving, sad, and sometimes sinister album, if you’re not in the right state of mind you’re probably not going to be really paying attention.
Still, it’s great background music and the perfect soundtrack for a rainy day. Good music to get dumped by.
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