Review Summary: Like a fresh blanket of snow, Twin Lakes lays it on smooth and glistening
After Moonlight Bride’s debut album
Myths was dropped in 2009, the band took a considerable amount of time off before releasing any new material. The fact that we are only now observing their second effort and first EP is most likely a testament to the amount of time that they spent in the studio brainstorming, recording, re-recording, and perfecting what would be their next logical progression. It must have had a cumulative effect, because they issued a statement revealing that
several releases will occur during 2012, including a sophomore LP in the fall. With a plethora of material apparently on hand,
Twin Lakes serves double fold as a barometer of what to expect moving forward as well as an appetizer to satisfy those who are craving material now. However, it will most likely result only in an increased appetite, as well as an unyielding desire to hear what else this up-and-coming quartet has to offer.
Twin Lakes sees Moonlight Bride take the raw energy of
Myths and harness it, creating a work that is slightly more refined but still completely enthralling. Contrasting influences are abound, but they are effortlessly contained and rarely clash in less-than-harmonious fashion. The lead track ‘Diego’, for instance, combines buzzing reverberated guitars, echoing acoustic guitars, and atmospheric
oohs to create a potent melodic catalyst that arguably drives the entire album. With unforgettable melodies capable of defining a movie soundtrack and cathartic moments that would feel perfect during moments of isolated contemplation, ‘Diego’ exemplifies the duality that emanates from all of
Twin Lakes. It is very much an album about getting lost within your thoughts; the ambient nature of the EP makes that much clear immediately. However, there is also an accessible indie feel that pushes up from underneath the shoegazed soundscape, making its presence felt without ever erupting into a full-blown pop fest. All in all, it results in an excellent balance between styles – which should please fans across multiple types of genres.
If
Twin Lakes possesses a downfall, it would have to be its own homogeneity. Although all five songs on the EP are constructed from phenomenal ideas, they are all the
same phenomenal ideas. The aforementioned reverb spreads across the album’s entire runtime, and more often that not, balance is achieved through the same means: heavy distortion, acoustic interlude, pleasingly accessible vocal cut, oohing/humming fade, repeat. Something can certainly be said for the importance of consistency and uniformity in determining an album’s identity, but one gets the feeling that a
full-length LP like this would be rather numbing. Here the weakness is partially dormant, covered up by the EP’s beautiful flow and overall brevity. However, it’s food for thought moving forward – this band could use some variation in their techniques and song structuring if they want to hold our attention for greater durations in the future.
As an individual piece, though,
Twin Lakes does everything it is supposed to and more. It shows growth within the band, offers a thoroughly enjoyable sound for the present, and packs a ton of promise for the future. Moonlight Bride clearly has an exceptional handle on their abilities as well as the type of music that they want to create, and their confidence rings out with every note they play. After the smooth and glistening
Twin Lakes, it’s now just a matter of waiting to see if their second full-length album will follow through on all the hype that this is sure to generate.
