The upward route of Explosions in the Sky is really quite amazing. With nary a lyric to their name and working in the commercially dead genre of post-rock they have grown their fan base and circulated their cascading crescendos to an incredible degree. While the argument could be made that Godspeed You! Black Emperor also scaled such heights of popularity, EITS are quite different. This Austin, TX-based band have an incisive clarity to their music that allows the hopeful nature of their vision to come through. The epic "Its Natural To Be Afraid languishes in feedback, setting up the dramatic climax, and its pure, lovely EITS. Yet its not just quiet/loud here, as closer "So Long, Lonesome, a rather brief three-minute piece, is a study in layered sound and mood. The song is absolutely heartbreaking, as is the rest of this album. EITS clarity puts them squarely above others in post-rock because they avoid the novelty of pounding on guitars. Its easy to do, but EITS want to actually accomplish something while theyre doing it. Everyone is as much a beautiful and beguiling album as it is a mission statement for one of the most exciting and inspiring bands out there today.
How do the songs come together?
Guitarist Munaf Rayani: "Its completely collaborative. Theres no leader in this band and the four of us are eye to eye on everything from guitar melodies to where we play. Its definitely kind of holding each others hand and walking through the forest together. I think that has been a great part of our success but at the same time, it can slow you down to a snails pace because the four of us, we move together. Its extreme at times and it can cause frustration, but its a great checks and balances to each other.
How important are titles to your songs?
"Theres not much rhyme or reason to it. When we do come up with something before we start playing [the song] it kind of gives us a sense of direction, a path for us to try and walk down. For example, when we started writing this record we came up with this theme, or idea, of solitude and loneliness, and we tried to play accordingly. What does that sound like? What does sitting all by yourself and being alone sound like? Or, what does sitting with 1,000 people and still feeling alone sound like?
(Temporary Residence)How do the songs come together?
Guitarist Munaf Rayani: "Its completely collaborative. Theres no leader in this band and the four of us are eye to eye on everything from guitar melodies to where we play. Its definitely kind of holding each others hand and walking through the forest together. I think that has been a great part of our success but at the same time, it can slow you down to a snails pace because the four of us, we move together. Its extreme at times and it can cause frustration, but its a great checks and balances to each other.
How important are titles to your songs?
"Theres not much rhyme or reason to it. When we do come up with something before we start playing [the song] it kind of gives us a sense of direction, a path for us to try and walk down. For example, when we started writing this record we came up with this theme, or idea, of solitude and loneliness, and we tried to play accordingly. What does that sound like? What does sitting all by yourself and being alone sound like? Or, what does sitting with 1,000 people and still feeling alone sound like?