"The Dark Dark Bright" arrives four years after the self-titled debut. As the monicker suggests, the fireworks are present. They take their time but are indeed there. The recipe is the same, delicate melodic lines that leave room for sonic outbursts that still retain the elegance and harmony of the quieter moments.
The brief intro fades as the voice and an acoustic guitar make their entrance, then gives way to "River," perhaps already the album's highlight, an energetic and intense track, characterized by a great vocal performance, very Post Rock but with a strong personality. Immediately after, the boys from Glasgow are ready to demonstrate their ability to navigate between richly textured pieces and tracks of minimal beauty, effective precisely in their simplicity. One might speak of a simple Folk sound in tracks like "Roots" or "Lay Me Down". But it is a mature sound, skillfully balanced.
The oscillation between this simplicity and intimacy and the crescendos of the more guitar-oriented Post Rock is a feature of the entire album. And it proves to be a winning characteristic. "Ash Wednesday", "Here Is Where", "South Street" are other episodes worth mentioning when discussing the album's personality.
It is not an album to pour out cascades of words and digressions about; it is something beautiful that offers a familiar and reassuring spectacle.
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