Review Summary: Wintersleep has demonstrated that they have become exceptional at what they do; creating the soulful and inspiring music that has been so touted among their indie rock peers.
Let’s face it, hype is annoying. Generally we see the facet surface following a stupendous release; a heaping pile of often misleading praise, thus leading us to believe the next record will be equal in stature. More often than not, expectations are what shatters the exorbitant buildup, essentially setting the bar at an unattainable position. Fortunately for Wintersleep, this is something that has not taken effect, considering their status as a respected, but relatively unknown indie rock group. Despite this, the Nova Scotia natives have maintained a stable and productive career, recording three rather lucrative endeavors since 2003. The latest of these,
Welcome to the Night Sky could have received massive hyperbolic acclaim, utilizing the outlandish lyricism and experimental instrumentation to create that powerful emotional journey. Like the others,
Welcome to the Night Sky flew under the radar, thus creating a situation devoid of those ridiculous expectations for
New Inheritors.
Musically, Wintersleep’s fourth release does not waver much from the tight musicianship of its predecessor, adept at delivering a concise and at times, dramatic formula to complement Paul Murphy’s unique songwriting.
New Inheritors is an indication of a band coming into their own in terms of the instrumentation; they’ve crafted a tight and cohesive collection of tracks that resembles somewhat of
Alligator The National in its most lively of moments. A unified rhythm section and layered guitars create a heartwarming ambience, but in addition
New Inheritors is catchy. The succinct and infectious pieces such as “Encyclopedia” and “Terrible Man” seem to supplement the ambitious nature of “Mausoleum” with tremendous virtuosity, while “Blood Collection” seems to meet somewhere in the middle as it contains both elements. We even see Wintersleep experiment a bit with strings in the opener; maybe seemingly off-putting in early listens, but eventually increasing the record’s thespian effect later. Murphy’s role in the group is still apparently intricate to the band’s success, as the vocals still carry that distinctive edge of
Welcome to the Night Sky and the lyrics paint livid pictures. The record’s ultimate gem “Mausoleum” showcases Murphy at his most haunting of moments: “I'll play dumb, I'll play dead, in your mausoleum. Insectivorous, caught up in the cloth, wrapped up in the gauze of your summer dress.” The irking nature of Murphy’s songwriting serves as a smokescreen for the harrowing beauty of the instrumentation, making that climax all the more powerful.
New Inheritors may not have the emotional impact of its predecessor, but resembles a band that has truly developed into one fine oiled machine, capable of tremendous things. Wintersleep has demonstrated that they have become exceptional at what they do; creating the soulful and inspiring music that has been so touted among their indie rock peers. These Nova Scotians may be in the same position come next release, but for now there are no astronomical expectations to be had.
