stars of track and field - centuries before love and war
This has been one of my favorite albums over the past few months. It’s food for my ears. Every time I listen to it, it’s like I’m hearing the songs for the first time. This band is noted for its use of digital bleeps and chirps, but their real strength is a generous use of lush choruses and rich guitar work. Maybe more important is how they use the juxtaposition of the sparse electronic landscape with soaring arena rock. It’s Kid A as we all wanted that to sound—full of passion, modern angst, timeless longing, guitar hooks, and damn good music. And might I be as bold as to say that they do what the Wrens do so well—make a song organic and flexible: something you can’t live without, something that seems like it existed in nature already. Centuries is a fully realized world, full of texture, shadowy corners, and sun-drenched joy. This is a headphone record that begs you to turn it up—which you will.