When I first saw Band of Horses’ album Cease to Begin on a friend’s computer, the only reason I wanted it was because I knew another friend of mine was interested in hearing it. I took the CD and had it on my computer for months before I actually listened to it and let me tell you, I’ve discovered a new musical love!
Good for those times when you just feel like mellowing out, Cease to Begin is the perfect album to listen to. I suggest listening to it late at night in bed in the dark with some quality headphones. This will give you the perfect opportunity to really listen and appreciate all this album has to offer. The album cover totally encapsulates the feeling this band is going for, with the moon setting in the horizon over the dark ocean.
Overall, the album is pretty mellow with the exception of “The General Specific” and “Islands on the Coast”. It starts out with “Is There a Ghost?” a lyrically simple song (it contains only three repeated lines). Despite the seemingly simple song, the song is melodious and catchy; it starts out soft but turns into a drum-pounding and guitar-rocking jam.
“No One’s Gonna Love You” is another highlight of the album because of the haunting sound and feeling it gives you using echo and reverb effects on their instruments, a characteristic which is a constant throughout the album. The lyrics are heart-breaking and could be about a failed relationship, with lead singer Ben Bidwell singing, “No one’s gonna love you more than I do”.
A perfect example of the songs on the album reminding the listener of the album artwork on the cover is “Detlef Schrempf”. The sound itself has a lonely feel, once again because of the echoes and effects the band uses. This is yet one more reason why buying physical CD’s will always be my preferred way of purchasing music. If done right, the music and album artwork make the entire piece complete.
For a change of pace, “The General Specific” calls on the band’s Country and Oldies influences which are obvious in this song in particular. Acoustic guitars, tambourine and piano are main instruments used in this song, but the features that stand out the most are the stomping and clapping to the upbeat melody.
Another Country-influenced song on Cease to Begin is “Marry Song”. The listener can hear the Country from the exaggerated “r” sounds in the lyrics to the path the melodies take in Bidwell’s harmonizing voice. But other than those features, the song ditches typical Country instruments by implementing a deep-toned piano and slow drums.
“Islands on the Coast” is another upbeat song yet somehow Band of Horses manage to make it sound as eerie as the other songs on the album. The band is very reminiscent of My Morning Jacket because of the effects implemented that make this upbeat song still so haunting. Not to mention Bidwell’s voice can be quite similar to Jacket’s lead singer Jim James at times and both bands seem to share very similar musical influences.
I’ve never heard of music like this until Band of Horses. That’s not to say that there aren’t other bands like this; just that I’ve been introduced to yet another great sound and yet another great band. In fact, Band of Horses turned me on to a whole new sound, which is where my curiosity of My Morning Jacket came from.
Band of Horses is definitely a band to add to your library. If not for the mellowing effects it has on a person in a stressful world, than at least just to appreciate the clever use of effects and artwork in an effort to enhance the music fan’s experience.
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