The Night Is Advancing

Resenha do Álbum

On The Night Is Advancing, the traditional music of Appendix Out's native Scotland melds with the production sensibility of 1990s indie/post-rock. The album finds the core trio of multi-instrumentalists Ali Roberts (the group's lead vocalist), Gareth Eggie, and Tom Crossley joined by a host of session players and the production team of Sean O'Hagan (the High Llamas) and Rian Murphy (Chestnut Station). Yet despite the natural beauty of the music and the lush weave of the instrumentation, strong emotions fail to surface the way one would hope. The album's mood is defined, from its opening lines, by Roberts, whose voice is trapped between mournful tenor and insecure mumbling. It betrays a sense of detached hopelessness. The arrangements (which add electronics, bagpipe, clarinet, and multiple guitars) do their best to conjure something majestic, but the musicians deliver their parts with a hindering restraint. A handful of the compositions manage to leave strong impressions. On the delicate "Bring the Yearlings (Home)," Roberts' voice finds its most appropriate setting. His lines trail off, disappearing into the lazy pace of the music. At eight-and-a-half minutes "Fortified Jackdraw Grove" acts as the album's centerpiece. Beginning with the hesitant fingering of discordant piano figures, the focus slowly shifts (for the song's duration) to the mesmerizing bed of hushed electronics laid down by O'Hagan. The closing "Organise a March" remains the album's finest moment. Roberts sounds like he's perpetually settling into the song's relaxed, elementary drum beat. The limits of his voice are contrasted by the assurances of the music, resulting in something oddly beautiful. It feels like a fresh start, but it also remains unfulfilled. On the verge of freeing themselves of their constraints and latching onto the music, you're left wishing they'd go further.

© Nathan Bush /TiVo