The Antlers @ Union Hall [Review & Photos]
Review by Kyle Spencer; Photos by Vanessa Fleming
Within the cozy confines of Union Hall, The Antlers debuted their new album Hospice; an album composed of a rewarding blend of atmospheric soundscapes and shoe gazing rock. Hearing the album played live in its entirety offered the patient listener a full range of sonic peaks and valleys.
Songs like “Sylvia” and “Bear”, in which the drumming was more prevalent or pronounced, felt climatic (at times thunderous) when accentuated by the proximity of songs like “Atrophy” which featured the more delicate attributes of The Antler’s guitar and keyboard combo.
I’ve seen countless concerts at union hall and it’s rare to hear a band actually overcome the restricting space and poor acoustics of the basement venue. The Antlers sound came through loud and clear. The occasional feedback could be excused or pasted off as intentional. Peter Silberman’s vocals sounded outstanding live and presented an operatic layer to the music.
While I can’t say The Antler’s present anything that’s genuinely original in their music, they have taken from some of the best and forged a very promising conglomeration of sounds and influences. The bio on their website describes them as a fusion of ‚”Neutral Milk Hotel or Okkervil River with the grandiosity of Sigur Ros, Cursive, or Godspeed You! Black Emperor, finished by the shimmery haze of My Bloody Valentine and heightened by Silberman’s Jeff-Buckley-like vocals.” That’s quite a wish list, but the album’s definitely worth checking out. You can stream it in its entirety, here.
Click through for more photos below the jump…
