Despite being an instrumental band, Explosions in the Sky often evoke more emotion than a most bands with vocals. Their new album ‘Take Care, Take Care, Take Care’, isn’t breaking new ground, but what it does do is provide a musical backdrop for any relaxing atmosphere. I first came to know of the band thanks to the song ‘First Breath After Coma’, which is a beautiful track and worth checking out. There is something satisfying when listening to an album like this, the lack of lyrics and vocals really make the band work hard and it shows. Guitar hooks replace vocal melodies and atmospheric drumming replaces repetitive lyrics. With this new release the post-rock boys from Texas are back doing what they do best, creating a soundtrack for people’s everyday lives.
Explosions in the Sky came to prominence in the mid-2000’s with the soundtrack to the movie “Friday Night Lights” and then the song ‘First Breath After Coma’ off their “The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place” album showed up in a few places. They feature three guitarists, one of whom will play bass when needed and then a drummer. For anyone who has listened to Explosions in the Sky before you’ll notice a trend, the rising intensity and then subsequent fall of the music, sometimes to the point where you think a track has ended. Essentially Explosions in the Sky create a soundtrack, for some it might be the best thing they need on a rainy, miserable day; for some it might be the happiest day they’ve had. Any good music should and can create emotional responses, certain things have to fall into place; evocative instrumentation, purposeful lyrics and hopefully the singer has an interesting enough voice to make the song really stand out and become something more than just another mindless pop song. With bands such as Explosions in the Sky who for one reason or another lack a vocalist, they have to rely upon the instrumentation alone and they have done it well.
One thing about this album and previous albums by them is that they rely upon multiple listens, sometimes involuntarily. After hearing the album you just let it repeat and repeat as it seeps its way into your ears; where it rattles around and brings forth old memories looking as if being played back on an old 8mm projector. As one part of a song brings a rising intensity it will slow down into something more soothing and safe. Each track is over eight minutes in length, except for “Trembling Hands” which is a brief 3:30 that would probably fit in on any Arcade Fire or The National album; ultimately there’s a lot to listen to even if they only have six tracks on the album. Take Care is as good as any album to start with from Explosions in the Sky, though I’d honestly recommend “The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place” as their “masterpiece”.
Your best bet listening to Take Care is to lock yourself away in your room for forty-seven minutes, dim the lights and just listen without interruption. In fact I would recommend doing this with all their albums. The idea of isolation and listening to music goes back a ways, more prominently it’s suggested to William Miller by his sister in Cameron Crowe’s biographical film “Almost Famous” as an instruction on how to listen to The Who’s “Tommy”. Something like this though requires some time to let it sink in and flow with the emotions. The entire album is a fantastic piece of artwork, maybe not their best work, but for a band like Explosions in the Sky it’s still better than most.