Review Summary: Those Who Tell the Truth... was born as a strange coincidence. Over its length, songs swell up and down, exploding and receding, giving a wide array of feelings and moods. Though some individual songs don't stand out, the album as a whole is what stands o
September 11, 2001. Two planes crash into the world trade center in New York City, bringing both towers down, a third plane crashing into the Pentagon, and a fourth falling short of its mark. 3,000 lives are taken in the single most damaging and catastrophic attack on American soil in history.
Jump back in time one day to the (supposed) release date of a relatively unknown album. The album cover depicts a ghostly plane flying through the air, a lone spotlight shining down an an angel. Below, a group of soldiers watches this. The liner notes of the album contained the text "This Plane Will Crash Tomorrow". Was this an unusual premonition? An incredible foresight?
Well, not exactly. Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Live Forever (my god, what a mouthful), was actually released on September 4, 2001, a full week before the 9/11 attacks. In addition, the album art had been planned by the band for over a year before the release. But it is an amazing coincidence how this album was born.
Coincidence aside, Those Who Tell the Truth... is the second studio album by Explosions in the Sky, a post-rock band hailing from Texas. The music within is sprawling, deep, free, and emotional. From the opening moments, the listener is met with spacious ambiance before an explosion in the sky of beautiful three-guitar harmony is unleashed. As the music progresses, songs swell up and down, building and releasing both tension and emotion. Massive explosions are matched by quiet sections of serenity and thoughtfulness, only to swell back up to a feeling of elation.
There are memorable melodies in every song, and though sometimes there is a bit of a wait for them, the music will slowly swell up to it seamlessly, or just blast right into it. Examples of this are the beginning of Greet Death and the explosion about 1:40 into Yasmin the Light. There are other songs which give a nightly vibe, such as the Moon is Down, which has gentle chiming guitars, and A Poor Man's Memory, which is like a sad military salute. There are many march beats throughout this album, a very uncommon thing for most rock music. But this works out very well for the music here, providing a steady backdrop for the guitars to meander over, beautifully and angelically.
Have You Passed This Through Your Mind? features sampling of quotes from The Thin Red Line, the only lyrics to appear in this album. After the poetic phrases fade away, drum fills come in, followed by a powerful melody. This song is one of the most uplifting selections on the album for me, and quite a highlight, especially the epic ending.
Though the entire album only contains six songs, each is quite long, and has many unique parts to it. Every track is well crafted and is worth listening to. Though a few are not terrible memorable, most are meant to weave into the album as a whole, and this is a very good thing. Though not every track feels like a stand-out, this is the point - the album when taken as a single idea is a powerful and amazing experience.
The unusual coincidence behind the story of this album gives a good start to a journey of sonic waves. The album swells up and down, occasionally building up slowly, and occasionally exploding into a powerful melody. By the end, not every track will be remembered, but the album altogether will stay with you.
