The Antlers – Hospice – CD Review
The Antlers
Hospice
4/10
Vocalist Peter Silberman spent close to two years working on this album as he analyzed his life after a big move to New York City, therein causing much anticipation to circulate around this release. Well, I guess you’ve got to respect an album that’s acquired so much time put into it, right? Hmm, maybe . . . From start to finish, the album is not bad, but you’d rightly expect more from something that had two years of work poured into it.
If you take comparisons to Radiohead’s In Rainbows as a good sign, then The Antler’s Hospice *should* be right up your alley. Well, The Antlers can’t quite fit on the same pedestal as Radiohead- in fact, they don’t really sound as if they are in the same boat. It’d be more appropriate to call Hospice a watered-down Radiohead if you’re grasping for a comparison. This world can only handle one Thom Yorke at a time, and if Silberman was attempting to measure up to him, he did a poor job. Silberman sings on this album as if he was trying not to wake his neighbors, and his weak voice compliments the repetitive quiet and bare sounds throughout this ambient work.
Although the addition of a trumpet and banjo on a couple tracks sounds intriguing and innovative, The Antlers use these tools minimally. Unless they are actual hospice patients and ready for a good nap, the empty sounds might leave listeners longing for more- maybe a tempo change (it does speed up for a bit on “Slyvia” for a quick enjoyable shoegaze experience), maybe some audible bass, maybe some variety in the overused “weird” background noises, etc. The repetitive barren sounds don’t manage to grab attention nor break any musical mold.
Of course maybe this is all considered phenomenal in the “ambient” music scene, but it’s all gone over my head.
-Stephanie Thornton
For the record, I’m not into ambient music at all but I haven’t been able to turn this album off for weeks now. Obviously, it’s not for everyone, just saying it did win over at least one person who is usually completely bored by “ambient” music. Personally, I consider it a masterpiece.
Interesting critique though – seriously. It’s always good to see someone else really slam an album, even if it’s one I like. Too many wimpy always-positive reviewers out there! It’s rare to see anyone with balls enough to take a real stand.
You suck. I am happy people like you do not like this album.
This album is the best of 2009, for sure. Most bands couldn’t produce something this passionate or real for the life of them. It is an absolutely perfect work of art in every way.
I don’t understand your need to first compare this record to Radiohead, then trash the record because of it’s failure to measure up to Radiohead. You should’ve just began your review with the part about singing as not to wake up the neighbors.
@Radio Flyer
Yeah it’s nice to see someone not jumping on the band wagon and saying it’s a masterpiece (however it’s the best album I’ve heard this year, in my opinion) but to start things off by comparing it to radiohead? The album is nothing like radiohead, I don’t see where these comparisons come from. The use of ambient music? like no ones ever done that bbefore. So The Arcade Fire are like radiohead also
easily one of the albums of the year.
comparison’s are silly…this is incredibly unique and made by someone who had a winter-long battle with demons to take care of.
and he did it with music.
and we all won.
bravo.
>comparisons to Radiohead
>a poor job
>empty sounds
>4/10
wat.
I give this review a solid 2/10, nice try.
One of the worst album reviews of the year. It wanted to be Stephen Wells’ review of Radiohead’s ‘In Rainbows’ but never measured up.
steffy… it sounds like you’ve never listened to music before.
u don’t have to be experienced with ambient to appreciate this mixture.
it’s simply innovative music.
…..like dark side of the moon.
that’s by pink floyd.
I didn’t understand how anyone could draw the conclusions that were reached in this review until I visited the “Who we Are” section of this website. . . then it all made sense.
Have fun at the kegger bro.
Steph- No offense, criticism is welcome for any music. But you sound like it went way over your head and you don’t really know what you’re talking about. This album is the first of this genre for me. It’s innovative and beautifully tragic. It’s so honest and raw in depicting life so amazingly. It’s been on repeat all day.
Really?? What record are you listening to? Ambient?? Comparison to Radiohead? You are entitled to your own opinion but your review is not even close to hitting the mark. Even the way you describe what you don’t like makes no sense to me. Maybe you should listen to it again.
I have 14,600 songs on my ipod and must have listened to about 200 new releases this year, and this album is the nearest to the Holy Grail. Such pretentious comparisons to Radiohead only highlight the dearth of the reviewers limited access to new and innovative music. I suppose in a way if it keeps the music elitist then all those satisfied customers – like myself – will be able to enjoy it. The power of marketing will always prevail however, which is unfortunate when there is so much more to discover…
I agree 100% with the review. Even though the album has its moments it is nowhere near a masterpiece and anybody who thinks it is doesn’t listen to a lot of music. It’s ultra repetitive, unimaginative and downright whiney. While it’s lyrically strong and a few songs do stand out, to call it the best album of the year is like calling Wolverine the best movie of the year. Just isn’t true.
Wow this review tells me that you know nothing about music at all. Which means you could write for Pitchfork, even though they loved this album. Radiohead? Come on! I think you should buy a new pair of ears.
Wow. This review is simply awful. Comparing them to radiohead is a joke, I stopped taking the article seriously right then.
First I’ll say that this is one of the most passionate albums I’ve ever heard and that I completely adore it.
Stephanie Thornton, your bizarre decision to evaluate this music in the context of Radio Head’s work confuses me. The fact that someone who purports to know anything about music wouldn’t at least give this album it’s due as a fantastic work of art confuses me further.
I don’t expect everyone to be blown away by everything I like, but 4/10? For Hospice?! Stephanie Thornton, you are an idiot.
its a beautiful album and lyrical brilliant. you suck.
I totally agree with titchio but i will add that i find it astonishing that you failed to see the beauty in this album. For me, it is quite easily one of the best albums I’ve heard for a long time.
Why is the author comparing Hospice with In Rainbows?
It’s like comparing apples with oranges – They’re both similar in the sense they’re an album (or fruit), but I mean – wtf is wrong with u? Why do you compare it? They’re not the same thing, not even close, and they don’t try to.
And about his voice? Don’t you find it that is voice is great (check out Epilogue), and that he doesn’t sing very loud cause that’s exactly what he wants to do?
What about the lyrics? Never mencioned that, why? How many times did you exactly hear this album?
This review is the worst review I’ve read in a long time – even your justifications suck, man. At least just say “I don’t like it because I don’t like it”. It’s your opinion, but don’t try to justify it with crap arguments.
Best 2009 album.
To more I listen to it the more I enjoy it.
Best 2009 album.
The more I listen to it the more I enjoy it.
Have a review for this and other great bands on http://www.theogblog.com... check it out hipsters!
worst review of the decade–takes balls to be that worse,well done stephanie!!!!
Advice:
1. At least attempt to understand the album before you try to write a review on it.
2. Don’t write reviews if you know absolutely nothing about music. Suggested areas of study: what genres are, what band comparisons are for (HINT: HOSPICE IS NOT AMBIENT, AND NEITHER IS RADIOHEAD, AND RADIOHEAD IS NOTHING LIKE THE ANTLERS)
This is just retarded … it reads like something out of a junior high school newspaper. But then, take a look at the “Who Are We” section of this site. “Tempestous Temptress”? “Senior Ladies Man”?? These morons look like rejects from an MTV reality show. Just goes to show you that any douche bag with a website can pretend to be a music critic.
The “ambient” music scene. Funny. Comparaison with Radiohead. Funnier.
You should do something else you obviously know very little about Music…
As said before this is to me the best record of 2009. Long life to The Antlers.
this is a beautiful work of art. moving, emotional, deep. and if you really think about it, its an experience! don’t get me wrong radiohead is a whole other ballpark that most artists cannot and will not reach in our time, but this album is special, truly a beautifully written work of human emotion. i havent been able to listen to anything else for two weeks. its different. i havent heard an album that i liked this much in a longggg time. I LOVE THIS ALBUM
stephanie, well for the record, you suck :]
Ok so while the review is not all that objective, I’m going to say I somewhat agree with her. I’ve listened to this album and seen The Antlers live and I do not understand what all the fuss is about. Every song sounds the same … it’s all quiet and ambient, then there’s whining and some falsetto lyrics that are somewhat understandable … then of course, there’s the build up to climax … then loud noises and a melding of melodies and then quiet … (repeat).
I get that this is a concept album and I get that this is a song about people dying in hospice. What I don’t get is why people think this is a fantastic album when it’s about as formulaic as a 3 min. alt-punk song by Green Day. quiet, quiet quiet, loud, loud, loud. It’s not good, it’s predictable. It’s like the Secret Machines (when at their peak) with their balls cut off. Just because Pitchfork gave it a high rating doesn’t mean it’s any good, it just means it met hipster standards … which 9 out of 10 times is garbage. “Ohhh, this is so arty and different, it’s a masterpiece!” Listen to Spiritualized or Sigur Ros – it’s the same stuff, but better.
I think this was the best cd of 2009. Being the concept that it is, it hold the same sad emotion through the whole thing, but there are upbeat, “happy” parts. I think it’s very well composed, and I very much understand why it took two years. It takes so much work to write music from ambient noise. Look at The Sound Of Animals Fighting’s cd “Lover, The Lord Has Left Us.” That’s the most screwed up sounding cd I’ve ever heard, but it takes so much work. An ambient cd takes more work than a well composed, “musical” cd does. And really, an ambient cd takes more composure than a theorized, structured cd. I’m not arguing with anyone, just stating my opinion on the cd.
I could listen to this cd day and night for weeks. This is an amazing piece of art.
Like the album or not, this is the worst album review I have ever read. The comparisons to Radiohead are so out of left field and unnecessary. Perhaps the most telling comment in the review is when she says “it’s all gone over my head“ – no kidding.
How could you write an entire review and not note anything about the story that is being told through the song. Not only that, but that the story is a metaphor for a completely different story?
You did a nice job a noticing that there was a trumpet album. Good catch. Just like the trumpet that is prevalent in In Rainbows………
Please tell me Stephanie Thornton is out of a job now.
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