Logh
is truly a band rich in texture and ambience. The group's seemingly endless list of comparisons ranges anywhere from
Joe Christmas
to
Codeine
. The music here covers the spectrum of twangy guitar, lightly brushed snares, and hushed vocals that can only be described as an
ambient
atmospheric display that must have been the soundtrack to God making the sunrise. Like many eccentric European acts,
has created an album that is meant to be listened to more as a whole than a sum of its parts. That's not to say there aren't a few standouts, namely
"Yellow Lights Mean Slow Down, Not Speed Up"
and the delicate, endearing
"The Hour We Knew Nothing."
In the former tune, the lyrics truly come alive with the refrain of "Living is dying sometimes I know." Taking into account that the band is Swedish, one can truly imagine the landscape the bandmembers must have viewed to cause them to create such a rich diversity on
Every Time a Bell Rings
. Much like
Sigur Ros
,
is a band that can't be picked apart easily. Put this on as study music or just something to veg out to. Just make sure to program it so that it skips
"Music for Flightrecorders,"
the fifth track. After about three minutes, the song recedes into delicate guitar playing, yet there is an incessant thumping that sounds like someone is hammering outside. Beyond that, however,
is an album that -- while it takes a while to grow on the listener -- is definitely worth the time. ~ Kurt Morris