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Across Tundras > Dark Songs of the Prairie > Reviews
Across Tundras - Dark Songs of the Prairie

The Prairies Are Dark And Empty. - 75%

Perplexed_Sjel, July 10th, 2008

‘Dark Songs Of The Prairie’ is one of the strangest records I’ve had the privilege of coming across. At first, I must admit that I was taken back by the unusual sound of Denver, Colorado’s Across Tundras. I wasn’t sure as to whether I enjoyed their sound or not but, regardless of that, I could appreciate the sheer create vision behind the eerie sounds of this crossover act. Metal Archives defines this North American act as a bit of everything. No one seems sure as to what to call this and with good reason. According to the band themselves, their influences range from the popular Californian band Neurosis, to the other side of the musical spectrum in Johnny Cash. According to the Metal Archives information, Across Tundras take elements from a varied range of genres, this could be explained in their influences. From doom to stoner. From progressive to rock. It makes sense. The most important element of Across Tundras sound however, is the psychedelic nature of it. The term ‘psychedelic’ is defined as ‘a mental state characterized by a profound sense of intensified sensory perception, sometimes accompanied by severe perceptual distortion and hallucinations and by extreme feelings of either euphoria or despair.’ Considered the ride that Across Tundras are about to take you on, that seems apt. The soundscapes are vivid and the emotions of showcased on the surface of the music for all to witness. The heart and soul of the musicians is poured on top of the Across Tundras sound, marking it with their own individual emotions and drawing these from the many influences that causes a person to pick up an instrument and learn it. Across Tundras are signed to Crucial Blast Records who I’m not overly familiar with. My experience with this label comes from Fistula, who I don’t have a great deal of experience with either. I cannot judge the strength of the label because I have only one act to base my opinions on. However, I can say for sure they’ve signed a remarkable talent in these three men and their debut, ‘Dark Songs Of The Prairie’ is an indication of this.

In a sense, the records title could be seen as a metaphor for the music on it. A prairie is defined as being ‘an extensive, level or slightly undulating, mostly treeless tract of land, characterized by a highly fertile soil and originally covered with coarse grasses, and merging into drier plateaus in the west.’ To me, the record title suggests the evolution of the band. A prairie sounds like a largely lifeless area. It is the blank canvas for Across Tundras to lay their emotions on. Although the music may come across as simplistic at times, the atmosphere which drives the band forward is complex, intricate and sophisticated. The production is worth a mention as well. It isn’t the cleanest I’ve heard, but I think that is a deliberate ploy by the band. This sound wouldn’t be as effective if the production was crystal clear. The dark tinge that the production has to it is quintessential to the Across Tundras sound. The elements like bass are better off with this dark sound because they sound more accentuated and prominent. Take ’Western Wind’ for example, the use of the production here to highlight the dark nature of the bass is brilliant. Alongside the other elements of the music, like the haunting vocals, Across Tundras have nailed their sound down with such little experience which, some may consider makes them more deserving of the plaudits. The lyrical themes suggest that the North American band base their ideas on the American West, adventure, life and reality. In some ways, this is reflected in the sound of the band too. For example, the adventurous nature of Across Tundras is something that one cannot miss. The varied elements that persistently showcase themselves throughout the record make this an interesting listen if nothing else. There are many similarities throughout this record with creates a certain amount of unusual expectation. Although we have no idea what to expect next from Across Tundras, there are notable familiarities. That may sound strange, but when one delves deeper into the record, one will find this out. For example, the complexity of the lyrics lines up with the complexity of the emotions. This is shown perfectly on the track ‘The Old Sexton’, which is phenomenal.

Nigh to a grave that was newly made,
Leaned a Sexton old, on his earth worn spade,
His work was done, and he paused to wait,
The fun'ral train through the open gait;
A relic of bygone days was he,
And his locks were white as the foamy sea;
And these words came from his lips so thin,
"I gather them in, I gather them in,
Gather, gather, gather, I gather them in.”

From the above passage of lyrics, which are taken from ‘The Old Sexton’, one can see the intricate nature of the lyrics. I, myself, enjoy deciphering lyrics. Taking them apart like you would take apart the elements of the instrumental sections and make of it what you will. Again, this causes me to see the little similarities that flow through the record. An acoustic track here, an acoustic track there. Female vocals, although it isn’t written down anywhere that they play a part, are a major positive of these largely acoustic songs that show up. The examples of this are, again, ‘The Old Sexton’ and the formidable ‘Aura Lea, Maid Of Golden Hair’. Whether it is electric acoustics, or regular acoustics, Across Tundras show great technical ability in being able to change how their sound is portrayed to the audience. As well as this, Across Tundras, as I’ve said, vary the vocals. The main vocalist, who’s voice is very unique, sings in an eerily manner for the majority of the record, but on these acoustic tracks, his vocals are accompanied by a nameless female vocalist. The way in which they sing makes me see even more similarities within the band. The brilliance of Across Tundras ability of fusing acoustics with seemingly keyboard driven atmospheres mirrors the way in which the vocalists can intertwine their voices to provide the most provocative sounds I’ve heard in some time. The obvious talents in song writing are noteworthy because there isn’t a dull moment on ‘Dark Songs Of The Prairie’. The amount of creativity and variation that has gone into the sound will provide some positives elements, at least, for everyone. Although the record may be eerie and rather odd at times, this amounts to an intriguing sound. The buzz saw effects of the bass, the excellence of the spine tingling vocals and the progressive nature of the guitars. The elements that make this record a success are at the foreground of the sound. The dominating eerie nature of the soundscapes to the forcible drums, Across Tundras are a band for the open minded and the adventurer within you. Discover the dark prairies with Across Tundras.

Songs of light, words of darkness - 86%

helvetekrieg, October 26th, 2006

Neurosis. Isis. Pelican. Red Sparowes. Cult of Luna. The list goes on and on, naming the luminaries of the post-hardcore/post-metal/post-rock revolution as it is embraced by headbanger and hipster alike. This curious little genre, with its sprawling sludge epics and spiraling ambient dirges, has the oddest tendency to truly suck you in and keep you there for untold hours in the sort of prison you don't really want to escape. With their latest release, Dark Songs of the Prairie, Across Tundras throws their hat in the ring in hopes of adding their name to that aforementioned list. Judging by the music contained therein, their new album sets them squarely on the way to doing just that. This album is gorgeous – simply beautiful. Across Tundras melds the sort of slow, doomy sludge tempos that got Isis a stadium tour with fragile shoegaze melodies and a dose of folky nostalgia for days gone by. A sort of Midwestern pathos hangs heavy over these eight crushing tracks, evoking images of windswept plains and ghost towns. The music is driven by slow, thoughtful notes and primitive drums; vocals are used rather sparingly, letting the music breathe and speak for itself. When they are present, the vocals are clean but buried, almost acting as an afterthought. The singer sounds like he's in the eye of a tornado, his words swept away by the swirling vortex that surrounds him. This stuff would undoubtedly be utterly devastating in a live setting – one can imagine these sounds soaring to the rafters of a ramshackle barn in the middle of a field. This is music meant for wide-open spaces and tiny rooms in winter; it's something that you feel deep in your chest cavity. Sparse yet majestic, foreboding yet fragile, these Dark Songs of the Prairie will have a profound impact upon all who hear them. You owe it to yourself to check these guys out – Across Tundras is something mighty special, indeed.