Don't Mess with Texas is my first exposure to any artist from the country of Croatia. Despite reading through their one-sheet, I was a little skeptical of what I might hear - some crazy gypsy folk perhaps? Nevertheless, Los Dias de Junio made its way into my CD player and I was rewarded for my lack of abandoning hope.
Los Dias de Junio, which translates to "the days of June," is nine tracks of atmospheric post-rock/instrumental indie rock. Over the course of these thirty-something-odd-minutes, the four-piece from Croatia piece together a well-orchestrated album of lush soundscapes, brilliant textures, and dynamic songwriting. Obvious comparisons will be made to the likes of Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Explosions in the Sky, but to me, these songs are much more vibrant, tighter, and more cohesive. The addition of the piano/organ to these songs adds a whole other level to their sound.
To sum it all up, this is the album that Explosions in the Sky should have written after The Earth is not a Cold Dead Place. If you at all fancy instrumental, post-rock, or indie rock, you owe it to yourself to listen to this album.
