When Red Sparowes released At the Soundless Dawn, I began to better appreciate instrumental music. The sound that the band has made for themselves incorporates pedal steel guitar, wandering movements, and entrancing song developments. After recording the band's second full-length Every Red Heart Shines Toward the Red Sun guitarist Josh Graham, also of Neurosis, left the band to work on another musical endeavor. Still, current members of the band work with or have worked with prominent groups such as Isis, Angel Hair, Made Out of Babies, Halifax Pier, and The VSS. The Aphorisms digital EP marks Red Sparowes's first release within the last two years. It exhibits newer, subtle characteristics of the band, most of which are readily noticeable within the first few seconds of the first track.
"We Left the Apes to Rot, but Find the Fang Grows Within," sounds similar to Isis at certain points, which makes sense. Bryant Clifford Meyer, keyboardist/guitarist/backup vocalist of Isis, has been playing in the Red Sparowes since they formed in 2003. The pedal steel guitar is hard to pick out on this track. Prominent slides of the pedal steel can be heard throughout the band's other work; here, it seems as though the guitar is being used more like a standard electric guitar. However, there's no need to panic.
"Error Has Turned Animals Into Men, and to Each the Fold Repeats" is more reminiscent of the band's earlier work. The drums and guitar meld together perfectly in the beginning, with the beat carrying the liveliness of the otherwise slow, delayed guitar parts. Tremolo picking with delay leads the way into the rest of the song. This track could easily be found on the band's previous effort.
"The Fear is Excruciating, but Therein Lies the Answer" does not hide its pedal steel as much as the other two songs, but it still isn't highlighted. At 2:20, it starts to sound like Earth in its sloth-like delivery. A lone guitar slows down considerably until the second guitar comes in, emitting high notes that accentuate the unhurried pace. However, this doesn't last long, as the rest of the band swells to swallow up the languid passage.
Overall, Aphorisms lacks the fullness of other Red Sparowes releases. Maybe the tracks aren't as layered at times, but something seems to be missing. Could Josh Graham's absence be the key to the slight change in the band's sound? Will the pedal steel of Greg Burns become more dominant? I await Red Sparowes's next full-length not with apprehension, but with curiosity.
