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Explosions in the Sky

All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone (2007)
Temporary Residence

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Contributed by: Aubin
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on February 23rd 2007

When I heard that Explosions in the Sky sold 50,000 copies of their previous album, the wonderful The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place, I was both surprised and reassured. While the band sticks to a remarkably tried and true formula, they represent the antithesis of what one would imagine to be easily packaged music: songs that run 7-10 minutes, no vocals, blurry press photos. Though they’ve become the poster boys for “post-rock,” the band is really best described as instrumental crescendo rock; each song establishes a delicate melodic pattern, builds on it and then explodes in a wave of muscular distortion.

This newest album does nothing to break from this formula, with each of the songs following this pattern. Though this might sound like a criticism, it’s no more a failing than it is for a band to write a song with a chorus. Like the cliché says, “it’s what you do with it that counts.” From the opening song which layers a wavering lead over bass feedback through the closer which is piano-driven and orchestral in its arrangement, Explosions in the Sky do quite a lot with what they have.

If anything, Miss Everyone is best described as a refinement of everything they’ve done so far. Melodies are more pervasive, nuanced layers of sound are both atmospheric and enveloping and noodling is at an all-time low. While The Earth suffered from some aimless moments in the second half of the album, Everyone is as tight as one could expect a six-song, 43-minute album to be.

When reviewing Isis’ Panopticon, I described that record as a series of short stories. Just as Isis is to narrative, Explosions in the Sky are to the score. The similie became reality as the band was tasked with scoring the film and series Friday Night Lights and few bands could be more appropriate. The band seems to develop each song like a miniature movie, with the first moments introducing the characters, creating tension and following a dramatic art to its inevitable and satisfying conclusion.

The end result is that this album will engage fans, impress outsiders and relax almost anyone. What it won’t do is satisfy the many critics so focused on progression that they lose sight of the song. But thankfully, those are the only people who will miss out.

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Itsaghost (March 29, 2007)

Explosions start this album out like a bat out of hell, and seem to keep a good momentum throughout the whole album. Personally I think this is their best effort yet, narrowly besting Earth is not a Dead Cold Place.

shot_in_the_dark (March 2, 2007)

"the only moment..." is certainly my favorite so far. and thanks for the names you dropped. that's sort of what i was asking for.

dolorBrigand (February 26, 2007)

all of a sudden I miss Jesu

danperrone (February 26, 2007)

first off, naming ten bands is a weak, name-dropping response to that question

second, those bands really don't sound like explosions...yeah they're post rock, but they don't sound like them...hence more name-dropping

Archangel (February 26, 2007)

How is Anchors a tool? Yeah, he name-dropped bands -- people are asking for similar music. Sirens and danperrone, I'm sorry, I am, but you're both wrong here. Try again soon?

sirens (February 26, 2007)

Anchors is a tool

Anonymous (February 26, 2007)

Explosions in this guy?

danperrone (February 25, 2007)

anchors name dropping more bands!!!!

YAY!!!!!!!

baseball (February 25, 2007)

this band is great, this release is great

it's so easy to zone into them and just listen to for a few hours at a time on repeat

denbez (February 24, 2007)

Nice Pitchfork snub. Oh yeah. I caught that.

Good fucking record.

Anchors (February 24, 2007)

To the kid who wants similar bands to this;

Mono
Grace Cathedral Park
The Six Parts Seven
Aurore Rien
Do Make Say Think
Red Sparowes
Sparrows, Swarm And Sing!
The Mercury Program
Maserati

And tons of others which I cannot think of right now.

This album is good, but they'll never write a song anywhere near as good as 'The Only Moment We Were Alone' ever again

Anonymous (February 24, 2007)

my only gripe with this album is that some songs are FAR better than others. take the first song and third song for example, none of the others even come close to those. plus the second half of the album is nowhere near as good as the first.

inagreendase (February 24, 2007)

kinda surprised brian didnt review hot cross

Well technically I did, just not for Punknews.

Anonymous (February 24, 2007)

not bad, me likey

Anonymous (February 24, 2007)

i like how members of lift of experience are posting about their band in the third person

anyhoo, the eits album is fucking great. the remixes are a nice touch too and as always, great art!

Anonymous (February 24, 2007)

That Lift to experience double cd is pretty good. You can definitely hear how Explosions in the Sky were influenced by that band. But in my opinion, any concept record about Texas being the center of Jerusalem is going to kick ass. I love the one part where the band makes a deal with God in exchange for a hit.

The singer of that band is supposed to release a solo cd soon. I am looking forward to that, he he did a split 7" with The Dirty Three that was damn good. He covered "So Lonesome I could Cry", and he really did that song justice much in the same way Cash and Cave did.

This was perhaps too long of a post. sorry.

vitustinnitus (February 24, 2007)

i really hope that last paragraph is directed toward pitchfork. 6.0 my ass.

2nd best album next to The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place

just picked up Lift To Experience and hope it's all it's made out to be.

denton and midland. who would've thought?

Anonymous (February 24, 2007)

what happened to that list of other instramental bands? some dude posted a top ten and i just came back to grab the names and it's gone. i don't like it when the internet changes.

Anonymous (February 24, 2007)

godspeed you! black emperor, mogwai, moving mountains, do make say think are some similars.....

eits actually got their inspiration from a band out of texas called lift to experience....which have VERY SIMILAR riffs.

Anonymous (February 24, 2007)

I would check out GodspeedYouBlackEmpeoror!!, MONO, Grails, The Drift

Anonymous (February 24, 2007)

This Will Destroy You is an awful, boring band who got their name from EITS's bio since that was what written on their demo tape.

Anonymous (February 23, 2007)

A band very similar to EITS is This Will Destroy You

iconoclast (February 23, 2007)

for anyone who knows this genre, can you recomend me any other similarly minded bands worth looking into?

definitely check out mogwai. godspeed! you black emperor, and mono.

Anonymous (February 23, 2007)

near perfect

shot_in_the_dark (February 23, 2007)

i just got into this band a month ago or so, but "the world is not a cold dead place" has quickly established itself as one of my favorite records. for anyone who knows this genre, can you recomend me any other similarly minded bands worth looking into?

Anonymous (February 23, 2007)

this isn't a blog-buzz band and this record is great. one of the most consistent bands in the past 5-6 years.

marcusd (February 23, 2007)

Thank you explosions in the sky for the beautiful release

skaboom (February 23, 2007)

At a time when punknews-ers seem more critical than ever before, it's awesome to see this be the top review, and be generally well liked.

Anonymous (February 23, 2007)

justin broadrick's remix of Pelican's "Angel Tears" is worth far more than a damn. I can't wait to hear his remix from this record.

Anonymous (February 23, 2007)

kinda surprised brian didnt review hot cross

Anonymous (February 23, 2007)

Good album...
and i also second the fact that Do make say think's new album is really good. They even have two songs where vocals dominate the track, which is something they have never experimented with. It almost sounds like sufjan stevens at parts

sickboi (February 23, 2007)

Years of punk and hardcore have seriously screwed up my attention span. I can certainly respect what these guys are doing, and admire them as musicians, but in all honesty, it bores the hell out of me.

Anonymous (February 23, 2007)

Why are these guys just blowing up now, this is easily their weakest release.

Anonymous (February 23, 2007)

Dissapointing to say the least. I guess it's hard to stay creative in this genre. All the songs sound familiar. Also, never quite understood remixes. Has there ever been a remix thats worth a damn?

dietcokeofpunk (February 23, 2007)

eh, seems kinda boring to me.

Anonymous (February 23, 2007)

It sounds like the Ataris review is becoming the Bigwig review for 2007. Is it too early to say that??

badmouth (February 23, 2007)

Wait wait, danperrone didn't bash it, what the fuck is going on?! On a serious side note this album is impressive as shit

Anonymous (February 23, 2007)

I haven't heard all of this cd yet, but it is a damn good cd so far. "..Cold place" was an excellent cd, but something about "...The Truth" always blows my mind when I listen to it. It is my favorite of theirs.

thekidscaneatabagofdicks (February 23, 2007)

I fucking love this band.

ConsolationPrizefighter (February 23, 2007)

"no review of the new Ataris????????????

This site is whack.

By the way, this score is for that album. fucking amazing"

Sorry that real music is being released you goat masturbator.

This isn't quite as good as The Earth, but damned if it isn't fucking amazing still.

kp (February 23, 2007)

"post rock" ?
cmon.
It's time for "post-genre".
dildos

Anonymous (February 23, 2007)

one of my favorites of the year.

It's only February. At least wait 5 months before making this statement. At this point it's kind of redundant.

Anonymous (February 23, 2007)

if you like this, you'll love DMST's' "You, You're A History In Rust". That is the best post rock album of the year.

Anonymous (February 23, 2007)

one of my favorites of the year.

Anonymous (February 23, 2007)

no review of the new Ataris????????????

This site is whack.

By the way, this score is for that album. fucking amazing

danperrone (February 23, 2007)

first off, this album is fucking insanely amazing and is the best post rock album since, well...the earth is not a cold dead place

second...since i've gotten into this and played it to shit, the earth is not a cold dead place is slightly less interesting to me...still amazing, but this just may be on the same level

third, the first two minutes of this record could be the greatest first two minutes of any record ever...THE DESTRUCTION!!!

last...aubin, i disagree with your first paragraph...if anything, it DOESN'T follow the linear pattern of their last album and of typical post rock...na mean? i think they did a great job of breaking away from that on this album

but holy shit this album is godlike