Return to the SeaIslands
Equator, 2006
Numerical Feelings: 6.7
Return to the Sea is a triumph of artistic growth -- like Who Will Cut Our Hair's synthetic pop brilliance was beat on the head and buried down in the cold forest soil, emerged seasons later into a tree, of sweet musty scents, of strange twisting splendor -- but as a rock album, it leaves a bit to be desired. I don't dig the hooks, man. What, uh, what's up with 'em? It's encouraging, certainly, to see the ex-trio now-duo whipping up their melodies fresh and homegrown, but the dishes thereby prepared come out bad -- bland and overdone at once -- and though they still offer some mighty interesting textures here and there, those textures don't develop in any... kind of... way.
Big love still for the epic opener, 'Swans', which recalls (and deliciously references) the wistful lyrical musings on mortality of the ghost album -- which caresses and entices the soft pulsing delicacy of the long opening into the sweeping bombast of the long close with such patient, patient pacing that it's just, it's just glorious is what it is.
And then some of the other stuff is nice. But overall really I mean come ON, band, what IS the deal? Naw, I'm kidding. You've mapped out the tremendous wonders of musical elegance and power you can achieve with 'Swans', now you just need to bring a little consistency to the mix.
-5.07.2006
Return to the Sea represents the second album by the Unicorns, after the amazing Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone. The band's name change reflects the loss of their guitarist, and presumably also the fact that none of their new songs are about being a Unicorn.
Track Listing:
01 Swans (Life After Death)*
02 Humans*
03 Don't Call Me Whitney, Bobby
04 Rough Gem
05 Tsuxiit
06 Where There's a Will There's a Whalebone
07 Jogging Gorgeous Summer
08 Volcanoes
09 If
10 Ones
11 *
(*: mega-awesomist tracks)
Track Listing:
01 Swans (Life After Death)*
02 Humans*
03 Don't Call Me Whitney, Bobby
04 Rough Gem
05 Tsuxiit
06 Where There's a Will There's a Whalebone
07 Jogging Gorgeous Summer
08 Volcanoes
09 If
10 Ones
11 *
(*: mega-awesomist tracks)