Of The Vine

Of The Vine

Written by: DR on 01/05/2011 19:30:07

From Atlanta, USA, comes Of The Vine's self-titled second release, and (spoiler alert) it's an impressive one at that. But, given how their only other release was "They Took Their Trembling Hands From Their Ears And Their Cries Were Heard" back in 2006 - making this four years in the making, as it was out last year - you may be expecting nothing less.

What distinguishes this band from the myriad of EITS-wannabes out there is, rather simply, their use of piano. Opener "Aegrotat" climaxes with rolling drums and "The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place"-style guitar melodies, but instead of building up to it by looping guitar patterns and/or using effects, they use a piano. The inclusion of a piano in post-rock music is hardly unheard of, but their decision to make it so prominent is actually quite a simple idea - simple yet incredibly charming.

The names Mogwai and Explosions in the Sky are mentioned in the press release, so if name-dropping those two genre legends doesn't excite you then move on; and, at the mention of those two names, any self-respecting post-rock will know exactly what to expect with "Of The Vine". Although loosely following the concept of war, as you may have guessed from the album cover, this album is cinematic in character, almost like the soundtrack to a film epic with a happy ending, rather than unrelenting in the bleak truths of what I can only imagine actual war must be like.

The aforementioned "Aegrotat" leads directly into the incredibly Explosions in the Sky-sounding "Kinderspiel, Pt. 1". Things then - and this is where the war theme is really utilised - take a darker turn. The imagery of sunny skies the opening two tracks induced is replaced by a broken, beaten and hopeless soundscape with "Prelude To War" and "War". However, just as quickly as they brought the mood down they bring it back up in hopeful closer "Star Song" - by using that piano.

From what I can make out, this is their debut full-length album - and it's only twenty-five minutes in length. There's little time wasted and nothing pretentious about what Of The Vine have created here, and for that reason this could be a release that isn't just for those who recognise with the "For The Fans Of" section, but for others who may not normally consider themselves fans of post-rock. Of The Vine will be touring the US this summer and have promised not to take four years to create the next album, so "Of The Vine" should give them something to build upon for what should be the start of a promising career.

Download: Kinderspiel, Pt. 1, War, Star Song
For The Fans of: Explosions in the Sky, Mogwai, Moonlit Sailor
Listen: Bandcamp

Release Date 17.12.2010
Self-Released

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