now playing - efterklang

so what makes a band unique?

i think that the answer lies within the listener. it depends upon the background of music that he has invested time into. it relies upon the listener's ability to recollect certain properties of the music they've heard in the past to make an educated assessment at the present.

if the brand of music offers huge and obvious influences of punk rock, for example, the music may be considered by many general listeners to be over and done with. they may figure that all punk rock sounds the same. someone with an extensive background in listening to punk rock, however, will be able to pick out nuances that make it stand out in a certain respect. they will be able to appreciate it more than one who doesn't have the ability to.

one's library of music really can dictate what new music the person is capable of breaking into. i don't mean it to sound elitist by saying that some music is an acquired taste, but i believe that it can be. i don't think that it applies directly to a genre of music, although it can also be the case, but particularly to an album. i can't recall how often it's taken me ten or more listens to an album to really appreciate it. it all has to do with what the artists were intending.

this, i believe, were the intentions behind parades by efterklang. released in october of 2007, it is a prime example of why an album should never be written off without being given multiple listens. the album made it into rotation sometime in january for me, and hasn't left. for every listen, it gains more value. i gradually notice more and more meticulous instances that make the album stellar. the band has thought this one out thoroughly, surprising me on every track.

i truly appreciate this type of music, which is very much in the vein of anathallo, being airy and atmospheric without traveling too far into space. they stay grounded and keep the listener interested while retaining their overwhelming uniqueness. there have apparently been an estimated 30 guest musicians making an appearance on the album, including a string and a brass quartet, as well as full choirs.

i have a hard time coming up with comparisons to other bands for this immense danish undertaking because i simply have not heard an album such as this. if the mp3's don't convince you to go buy this album, maybe the quirky music videos will.

<|indie, experimental, atmospheric|>

riyl: anathallo, eluvium, making believe you're the star of a lifelong movie about someone else

mp3s:

efterklang - "cutting ice to snow" (from their official site)

efterklang - "caravan"

myspace, official site

videos:


"caravan"


"mirador"