Review Summary: ‘Bone To Satellite’ isn’t incredibly dull or great in any way. It instead shows the type of problems that are holding Tarentel back, if these adjustments are taken in consideration Tarentel show some promise.
Yes, another post-rock band. Over the head to some the genre can become bland in a few minutes, but those who care to listen post-rock can offer the grand crescendos offered by Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Explosions In The Sky!, Mono, I could go on, but I rather not. Tarentel are another post-rock in a heap of artists within the genre. Many of whom never seem to impress, instead they offer bland uninspiring music for the masses and become easily forgettable.
Tarentel’s style doesn’t exactly differ in an extreme sense at all. Unlike more established bands that haunt with violins and the eerie pauses that are so well known within Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Tarentel’s approach is rather simple. Guitar, bass, and drums could be the easiest means of putting it. They incorporate small drones within their music and even a hint of progressive movement within their music. The reminder of another Grails or even Tortoise (not as diverse at all) could be thought of when listening to ‘From Bone to Satellite’. Tarentel mixes it up from a long, outstretched guitar and drum affair within its intro track “Steede Bonnet” to a somewhat progressive style in “When We Almost Killed Ourselves”. The latter seems to agree with me the most. Tarentel’s attempt to begin a drone, ambient, and overlong sequence of drum and guitar becomes tedious at a 12 minute marker. Instead of sticking with this, Tarentel shift gears within the second track with a more absorbent and up-tempo structured around the guitar. Despite my claims of the guitar leading the charge, the bass dominates the background as it should; The bass is an important aspect within Tarentel’s music it holds the core of the song while allowing the guitar and drums to do their thing.
“When We Almost Killed Ourselves” is strong on the charge, but dims down within the halfway mark to a dreary and somewhat nonchalant, repetitive style with tiny drones and guitar mix in the lot. While this attempt of song structure within this album adds more contrast between energy and somberness, its attempt to restart another process within the last quarter of the track is slow to make its statement. The uplifting nature as the song ends is worthwhile, but you can’t help but think it could have been done quicker.
The problem begins to flesh itself out. The process that Tarentel try to establish within the album works to some extent. Despite the unnecessary droning that accompanies the introduction in every song, the songs don’t really start to gain steam until they reach the middle of the track. The simplicity cannot be stressed enough within this album, it isn’t that it’s boring, but rather dynamic in its stature to allow me to endure nearly 75 minutes of buildups within each track is kinda incredible. I didn’t find myself extremely bored with the album at all. “Ursa Minor, Ursa Major” can be pointed towards as its beginning use of 6 minutes only include one instrument with the ambient and drone timings within its background – until it explodes with no hesitation. ‘Bone To Satellite’ seems to show some signs of promise within this band. Tarentel’s greatest strengths are the sudden surge of energy and pure guitar driven style that heightens the songs to another level. The problem with this? ‘Bone To Satellite’ only offers a few minutes of this type of joy-ride. The ambient and simplistic manner that each instrument is given before and after that surge is dormant to the point where the band overextends the song to its extreme.
I’ve heard this band have become more improvisational within their music including a more ‘progressive’ take within their music. It looks as if Tarentel are headed there with ‘Bone To Satellite’. The lack of focus and absent minutes that are only brought with boredom are their biggest problems. Each song just drags far too long, but despite “Ursa Minor, Ursa Major” holding the second highest track time it is by far the most interesting track to listen too. "For Carl Sagan" seems to be the only song on this entire album that actually pulls through with immense drones and a memorable buildup. Even "Strange Attractors" is epic in its demeanor and heaviness, but its just to late to hold this album up. Tarentel’s major problem is the fact they overuse and extend themselves far too long with their choices. Less is more would be the best term to put it when discussing their output on ‘Bone To Satellite’.
