Explosions in the Sky is categorized as a post-rock band. The band consists of three guitarists and one drummer. Their music is extremely unique and can be recognized immediately. The most prominent characteristic of this band is that all of their songs lack any type of singing. They use their emotions as their catalysts in many of their songs. Typically, their songs last in a range of six minutes to an impressive 12 minute medley of clashing cymbals complimented with distorted and ambient guitar riffs.
They are no easy listening. In order to fully grasp and appreciate their music, you have to listen to their songs from the beginning to the last second. Each song tells a story. Each album tells a bigger story.
"I tend to be impatient when it comes to instrumental music, but Explosions gives me the chills. Each time I listen to them, a story plays out in my head. I think it's interesting to hear other people's interpretations of their songs," said Miami University senior Ana Lima.
They are masters at manipulating your mood anytime of the day. Interested? If you were planning on giving them a listen, this is your lucky month. April 23, Explosions in the Sky will be releasing their sixth album called Take Care, Take Care, Take Care. Like the rest of their albums, it offers depth, energy, and a whole lot of emotion.
The appetizer, "Last Known Surroundings", opens the album up with haunting, barking-like sounds in the background, which is followed closely by a heavily distorted guitar scream and drums breaking the serenity of the introduction. The rest of the song is in a happier tone, offering a variety of tempos and delicious guitar hooks and riffs. The drummer lays down a soothing yet energy-invoking beat by using his snare drum as a foundation, which happens to be his signature style. At the end of the song, it all comes together, yet everything stops abruptly and trails off with a soft guitar loop. Rated: 5/5
"Human Qualities" takes things down a notch from the previous song. It starts out with a soft and delicate guitar picking, one that you can almost hum along with. Complementing the guitar picking, the soft tapping in the background and the prominent lead guitar puts together a relaxing introduction into the lengthy song. Faint screeching of distant violins slowly makes the way into the composition as the song begins its misleading pickup. All sounds cease for a good 26 seconds with nothing but eerie silence, which transitions into a darker guitar picking which you can barely hear. However, the light twanging of the other two guitars that gives the listener yet another emotional swing drowns it out. The subtle thumping of the drum beat continues throughout the song with the guitars layering over each other like they are making the most beautiful cake every composed. Rated: 5/5
"Trembling Hands" is by far the shortest of the album, lasting just over three-and-a-half minutes. It is also uses the quickest tempo compared to the other songs. The song almost ventures out into the metal and punk scene given the forceful and quick drum beats. In addition, for the first half of the song, a shout is repeated to emphasize the quick drumming. The guitars in this song aren't as melodic and innocent. They are repeated for a good amount of time and offer a good amount of mosh-pitting rhythms you could lose yourself in. Behind the quick paced rhythm, they manage to lace in beautiful, quick guitar riffs. Rated: 4/5
"Be Comfortable, Creature" starts off the completely different than "Trembling Hands". A soft lead guitar draws the listener in with a nighttime-esque tune, setting us in a land in of comfort and peace. One can venture that this delicate song sends out vibes of love at first, but there are so many emotions that are invoked after the snare drum climaxes its crescendo in a gorgeous, dreamlike state. Rated: 4.5/5
"Postcards from 1952" can arguably be the best of the album. It starts out with soft ambient guitars reacting to one another. They eventually come together to form a melodic tune, with a lead guitar adding some pepper to the tune. A tambourine joins the company briefly to add salt to the concoction. The song then completes itself by introducing a simple drumbeat with guitars layering over it. A cascade of harmonies, melodies, and complimenting drumbeats sends the song into overdrive. An excellent use of crescendos and decrescendos grabs the wheel and drives the song home, with exploding cymbals and forceful snares riding shotty. Rated: 5/5
"Let Me Back In" is the longest of the songs, clocking in at a staggering ten minutes and seven seconds. The song begins with haunting voices, which are indistinct to the listener. A melancholic guitar look is played over the voices, along with rhythmic tapping in the background. The voices eventually cease, giving a whole new tone to the song. Then out of nowhere, a lead guitar starts at a high-pitched note and decrescendos into a powerful clash of dominating cymbals and ambient and echoing guitars. The transition is most welcome, as it sends you into a happier place; the characteristic decrescendo acts as a chorus, giving the listener a sense of euphoric nostalgia. However, it is all taken away in the middle of the song, as there is a downtime where nothing is played. A quiet piano and a drawn-out, out-of-tune reverb fill the gap of emptiness. Throughout the song, it repeats this pattern once more with upbeat energetic portions to a gloomy, melancholic and haunted segments which lasts to the end of the song. A creepy, yet masterful song. Rated: 5/5
Overall: 4.75/5
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