The Unwinding Hours - Afterlives (Album Review)
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Thursday, 09 August 2012 |
Written by Ben Bland
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There may be some listeners out there that found The Unwinding Hours’ self-titled debut record a disappointment...but they are likely to be few and far between. Released two and a half years ago now, that record took the stupendously emotive art rock template laid down by Aereogramme (the former band of The Unwinding Hours members Craig Beaton and Iain Cook) and gave it fresh and exciting new life. Now the prophetically titled 'Afterlives' takes things to yet another glorious new plain.
 Not that you would immediately notice, but 'Afterlives' is, in many ways, a fairly radical re-evaluation of The Unwinding Hours as a band. For all the excellence of their debut it was hard to see at times how it followed a different path from Aereogramme’s final record, the stone cold classic 'My Heart Has a Wish That You Would Not Go'. 'Afterlives', however, really cements a unique identity for The Unwinding Hours, and the record is all the better as a result. The focus on shimmering guitars still prevails throughout the likes of opener 'Break' but, crucially, The Unwinding Hours shows themselves more willing than ever before to delve into the margins of their sound.
Indeed, despite previous flirtations with the instrument, it is noticeable indeed that The Unwinding Hours have relied more heavily on synthesizers here than ever before. This is not an electronic record by any stretch of the imagination but the prominent synth lines that occasionally flirt with taking over entire songs will surely surprise a few, as will the lack of movement towards epic post-rock territory that still sprung up on occasion on the self-titled album. Instead 'Afterlives' sees Beaton and Cook focus more openly than ever before on writing brilliant, heart-wrenching songs...and, of course, they succeed more definitively than even the most optimistic of fans could have hoped.
'Afterlives' is out via Chemikal Underground on 13th August.
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