To call Explosions in the Sky's new record, All of a Sudden I Miss
Everyone, expansive would be a horrendous understatement. The guitars swirl around each other in a dizzying fashion that does nothing other than grip the listener in a strange catatonic envelope. On the outside, the individual looks completely serene and vacant while inside they are caught up in a whirlwind of sound that ebbs and flows like wind or water currents. The drums augment and ground the proceedings to give the listener some basic orientation. The real challenge that Explosions in the Sky faces is the need to keep the arrangements from being too formulaic; and to that test, the band rises to the occasion.
The fuzzed out feedback of opener "The Birth and Death of the Day" does nothing to convey the bombastic entrance that Explosions in the Sky make with the song on All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone. It quickly settles into a steady stream of guitar passages and a pulsing drum. The band plays with dynamics well by constantly toys with the listener's emotional response to the music. The surprisingly upbeat "Welcome, Ghosts" changes tempos frequently and really socks the listener with neat drum parts and the guitar choir that you come to expect from the group. Listening to "It's Natural to Be Afraid" is captivating. I did not realize that the song was almost fifteen minutes long until I just looked at the running time. It is engrossing and easy to get lost in the music. Following that up with "What Do You Go Home To?" is the right choice for the band. That captivation usually continues straight from the last track. The cascading piano runs are perfect and accent the quiet beauty that the song emanates. It is my favorite song on the All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone "Catastrophe and the Cure" ups the decibel levels a few notches and shifts the dynamic and flow of the album with a bit more of a "sunny" sound. It carries a hopeful mood that translates with the power that only Explosions in the Sky can. The piano in "So Long, Lonesome" seamlessly joins with the musical cast and effectively changes the mood of the track. The song ends the album on a wistful note
For those of you who get the chance to nab the deluxe version of All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone, do it. The remixes by Jesu and the fellow that is Eluvium are spellbinding bookends to a completely remixed version of the proper album. Justin Broadrick of Jesu completely revamps "The Birth and Death of the Day". His electronic accents to the song cause the song to give a completely different feel. Matthew Cooper of Eluvium twists "So Long, Lonesome" into a trippy journey. He pushes the song's ambient noises to the forefront to create an almost completely new song while underneath you can just make out bits of the original coming through the reversed piano sounds and random drum beats and electronically treated cymbals. Explosions in the Sky allowed a completely new experience to be created with the remix version of All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone.
All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone brings several sublime musical arrangements that have the ability to capture one's imagination. The band's singular ability to write grandiose pieces that could easily be compared to that of classical compositions, shines through and through on the record. If you are a fan of the instrumental groups like Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Eluvium, etc or just good music, do not hesitate to acquire this album. I must admit that I had to listen to this many times to write this review. I found myself lost in the experience on most attempts. Explosions in the Sky continue to raise the bar with this excellent record.
