[04.02] I hate to be this facile, but a pretty good way to describe Explosions in the Sky's overall sound and feel is that they sound like Mogwai playing Godspeed You Black Emperor! you Black Emperor covers. So, yeah, you guessed it: they're post-rockers, insofar as employing the hallmark instrumental quiet-loud-quiet song structure. But unlike many of those following in the wake of Mogwai et al, Explosions can more than hold their own.

Like Mogwai, Explosions in the Sky build beautiful sonic castles, only to violently tear down the walls in cathartic climaxes. Like Mogwai, their musical voice is consistently strong, unique and brilliant. Like Godspeed You Black Emperor!, they write symphonies—with rare intensity—for guitar, bass and drum. Perhaps what makes Explosions different is the fact that these guys are from Texas? I mean, isn't everything supposed to be bigger there? Mogwai may not exactly be restrained, but they may be too Scottish to go for full-blown EPIC. Explosions don't seem to mind—they go all out. Mind you, this isn't chamber rock. The scope is more cinematic. Their landscapes are painted with broad brushes, the themes are grand, and the imagery is of the life/death and good/evil kind. The war theme of recurring marching drums could have been applied more sparingly. But other than, the album achieves all it sets out to do.

Total silence to total violence, their label says of this album. Well, I would quibble with that. The silence is far from total, and the violence is rather sweet. In fact, this is a very beautiful record. Don't let the words "destruction" and "violence" scare you away. Yes, it is an intense album, but in the intensely beautiful and dreamy sort of way. I suspect we will hear a lot from these guys in the future. They recently toured the East Coast with …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead and the West Coast with Fridge. I was lucky enough to catch some of their show here in SF and what I saw was very tight and very good.

This is not the newest of releases. It was recorded in 2000 and released last year by Temporary Residence. The label signed them based on a tape sent in by the guys in American Analog Set with a note saying: "THIS TOTALLY FUCKING DESTROYS." That's an endorsement as good as any, I guess. —Nils