Tuesday, December 27, 2011

ENDCAP: Pianos Become The Teeth - The Lack Long After

Format: 12” LP
Label: Topshelf Records

As with most new releases these days, my first listen through Pianos Become The Teeth’s The Lack Long After was on the treadmill. Though it wasn’t until I left the gym and sat down with the vinyl that I was able to focus on the lyrics, what immediately stood out to me was how raw and impassioned the vocals sounded over the almost post-rock infused post-hardcore sounds that dominate the majority of the album.

Released by what has become one of my favorite labels these days, Topshelf Records, The Lack Long After is a fantastic release, both sonically and physically. On the music-end, this album is an extremely emotional journey of singer Kyle Dufrey’s loss of a father. The sheer emotion in these lyrics and songs stopped me in my tracks the second I listened to “I’ll Be Damned,” the album’s opener. Listening to this record was actually one of the most emotional listening experiences I’ve had this year, on par with La Dispute’s Wildlife.

With the physical aspects of this release, Topshelf Records did a fantastic job making the simple layout of this record, elegant and aesthetically appealing. Packaged as a single LP in a gatefold cover–something that’s always added to my experience of appreciating an album’s packaging– the front and back covers of the album featured photos from Danielle Yurchinkonis, as well as inside the gatefold. Though I’m not sure what the context of the photos are, or their relation to the album, there’s no doubt that they fit the timbre of this record.

Overall, I have nothing but great things to say about this album and this release in general. The music and lyrics were some of the best this year, and the packaging was fitting in every way. Now in it’s second pressing, The Lack Long After is available directly from Topshelf Records.

Endcap is a feature focusing on some of the records I’ve been spinning lately. Everything from the music to the packaging is covered, complete with photos of the release.

Posted at 11:14 AM 18 notes Tags: ENDCAP Pianos Become The Teeth The Lack Long After Topshelf Records La Dispute Wildlife The Wave Vinyl Records

Notes

  1. topshelfrecords reblogged this from thenativesound
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  4. livinglikeaghost said: His father died from a degenerative spine disease and was confined to a bed up until his death. That’s what the front and back pictures are, the inside one I don’t know, but it looks cool. Just though I’d help out
  5. thenativesound posted this