Explosions In The Sky - The Wilderness


Explosions In The Sky
The Wilderness
2016
Spotify

Friday Night Lights the movie which was eventually spun off to a TV show was not your typical high school football movie. It had depth, character and real emotion some of which you have to attribute to the stellar work that Explosions In The Sky did of making the soundtrack. That movie is not the same without their gigantic, connected and modern sound. 2003 to 2005 saw Explosions doing their best work. "Your Hand In Mine" has to go down as one of the best songs ever. That was over 10 years ago, but don't expect that their sound has aged or lost a step. The Wilderness is right up their with Explosions' best work, but this record is much more personal. The Wilderness hits you, where as the rest of their music swells and grows for the mass this album is small (or as small as they can be) focusing on the emotion of being alone. "Logic of a Dream" during the into has that small feeling, but then they blow it up with a massive influx of deep bass notes. It is almost like you are watching one the best concert hall directors, but they use the instruments of rock and emotion rather than brass and strings. For this record it seems that the details were given just as much care as the broad statements leading to an album that is utterly complex and deliberate. "Disintegration Anxiety" has this way of foreshadowing what is about to come next, but still surprising you once it arrives. It is really brilliant stuff.

AS a whole the album does not have that unity that most Explosions In The Sky albums do. The disjointedness however allows for the songs to shine on their own outside of anything else that may affect it. While there is a song called "Disintegration Anxiety" the track that really puts you on edge is the opening of "Losing The Light". It is unnerving and you really can't think of a way anyone could pull this around in to something enjoyable, but they do it, as they always do. It is no surprise that Explosions In The Sky have had so much success in making soundtracks when every song conjures up a new image of life. I don't know if movies were made for Explosions or Explosions were made for movies, but the combination of images and music make this band and this record so special. It is hard to describe Explosions In The Sky because it is how their songs effect you that really matters. "Colors In Space" is the first time they let any kind of a groove slip in to the record and it is fitting to bring the record in for a close. "Landing Cliffs" the final track on the album begins with a swirling world but eventually moves in to a more casual approachable songs, one of those one's that gives you tingles as a sunset falls before you. It really does not get better than Explosions In The Sky and The Wilderness just reaffirms that fact. Get somewhere quiet, or go on a walk and let this album spill over you.

9.0 out of 10

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