Burst Apart by The Antlers
LABEL: French Kiss Records

In many ways, Burst Apart was the perfect title for The Antlers latest release. The Brooklyn trio have a knack for creating wistfully tragic songs that conjure the most dejected of emotions. And with the title of their new album, The Antlers are able to express a swelling of sentiments that often times find themselves battling to stay quelled, but as any human knows, certain things can only be repressed for so long until they simply burst. Coming off their spectacular full-band debut, Hospice, The Antlers have created another stunning album that’s more than just a tearjerker; it’s 41 minutes of pure, uninhibited emotion and passion. It’s arguably the most heartfelt album of this year, so far.

“The sounds on Burst Apart are captivating, and without becoming tyrannical, they manipulate emotions to near perfection.”

Though similar to their last release, Burst Apart displays a much more musically mature band. The album is concise, with no moments of disparity between content and sound; it truly feels like Peter Silberman and company are in the zone. On the Radiohead-esque “Parentheses,” the melody absolutely rips up any notion that The Antlers are a “soft” band, and it’s relentless in making listeners feel engrossed into the swirling resonance of the their instrumentation. On the opening track “I Don’t Want Love,” a slightly optimistic guitar riff makes the track feel feather-like, as Peter Silberman paradoxically details a love-hate relationship: “You want to climb up the stairs/ I want to push you right down/ But I like you inside/ So you can push me right now.” It’s this kind of relationship between the sounds and the songwriting of Burst Apart that makes this album wondrous and surreal.

Burst Apart also manages to showcase The Antlers growing sense of instrumental abstraction. Whether it’s the blissfully painful horns on “Tiptoe” or the ambient landscapes of “French Exit,” The Antlers have made their sound more eclectic. The sounds on Burst Apart are captivating, and without becoming tyrannical, they manipulate emotions to near perfection. With each billowing background and each reverberating lead, The Antlers create a sonic narrative that’s undeniably moving. Burst Apart speaks as much about sorrow as Silberman’s gorgeous lyrics do, which is saying a lot in terms of the complete package this band has become.

One of the many things that made The Antlers’ previous effort, Hospice, so wonderful, was Silberman’s songwriting, which was unfathomably brilliant in its attempt to bring to life the possibility of love through death. It had a narrative quality to it that was akin to reading a novel. Silberman grows even more as a songwriter on Burst Apart. Though not a concept album like Hospice, the Antlers’ latest album continues to thrive on Silberman’s direct, genuine lyricism, and his deft timing and falsetto. Album standout “Corsicana” features some engaging cooing and crooning, and Silberman demanding that he should move on, “We should shut that window we both left open, now.” On the psychologically sexy “Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out,” Silberman bellows into the mic, “You and I divorce but not devout/ Every night my teeth are falling out.” On the alluringly depressing closer, “Putting The Dog To Sleep,” we see Silberman at his finest. By using the imagery of a dog being put to sleep as a euphemism for a personal relationship, Silberman is poetic without being ostentatious: “Well, my trust in you/ Is a dog with a broken leg/ Tendons too torn to beg/ For you to let me back in.”

Burst Apart is a culmination of The Antlers’ undying urge to grow as band. With this album, The Antlers prove to be a collective that features balance in both sound and lyricism. Burst Apart also manages to be one of the most cohesive pieces of the year, so far; no song feels out of place. Everything is in-tune, emotionally and musically. Through Peter Silberman’s defiantly downcast lyricism and the band’s eclectic sound, Burst Apart isn’t a cheap effort to get you sad. It’s a full embodiment of what it means to be human.


REVIEWED BY ADRIAN ROJAS
ADRIAN’S FAVE TRACKS: “Parentheses” • “Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out“ • “Corsicana”
Read more from Adrian on his blog, On the Importance of Being Rash


FREE MP3: “Parentheses” (right-click & save)
FREE MP3: “Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out” (right-click & save)
FREE MP3: “I Don’t Want Love” (right-click & save)