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Texan quartet Explosions in the Sky have been leading lights of their genre since forming over a decade ago. Crafting songs that, true to the band’s name, burst like collapsing stars in the darkest night (after prolonged and intense build-ups of swirling soundscapes), they’ve become one of post-rock’s archetypal bands. Oddly, given how well their songs have fitted (or perhaps designed) that genre’s template, it’s a term the band would never use themselves. And with Take Care, Take Care, Take Care – their sixth studio album – they certainly move away from the traditional trappings of that genre.
Of course, that’s not to say that these six songs are wildly different in scope to the dramatic instrumental journeys that the band has crafted in the past. They still sound like songs by Explosions in the Sky and, with the record clocking in at over 45 minutes, they’re just as epic as anything in their back catalogue. Yet whereas before songs swelled until they blew open in cacophonous crescendos of blissful, beautiful noise, now, instead of slow-motion momentum to jaw-dropping climaxes, these songs are a continual denouement. They ebb and flow with grace and determination from the offset.
Early on, Last Known Surroundings settles into a hypnotic cadence that’s powerful yet understated, repetitive yet exciting. Rather than increase in intensity, it’s a constant, mesmerising pulse that grabs you right from the start. Although only three-and-a-half minutes long, Trembling Hands is equally enthralling; the sound of the universe expanding infinitely. Postcard from 1952 and the tumbling, trembling finale of Let Me Back In both sound like they’ve existed in the atmosphere for centuries, appearing like distant galaxies that have just been waiting to be discovered.
Ultimately, though, to break down this collection into tracks and songs does it a disservice – really, it’s just one eye-opening surge of splendour, like the first gasp of a newborn baby taking in the world for the very first time. The difference with this album: that sense of wonder never fades.
--Mischa Pearlman
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CD Description
Super deluxe In the four years since the release of Explosions In The Sky's previous album, All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone, they've amassed a steady stream of unlikely achievements for a band most known for stirring instrumentals that often push the 10 minute mark. They toured with The Flaming Lips, headlined a sold-out Central Park concert, performed on the legendary Austin City Limits television program, and curated the world-renowned ATP Festival all with the humble resolve of a band who still hauls all of their own gear on and off the stage every night. And let's not forget their indelible impact on the cultural landscape of film and television since their breakthrough score for Friday Night Lights marked an aesthetic shift towards evocative, real-life grittiness in mainstream cinema. On their fifth album, Take Care, Take Care, Take Care, the band take some of their greatest creative leaps yet, experimenting with layers of haunting, unplaceable sounds, euphoric vocals, classical guitar, body percussion, Japanese singing bowls and more. With solitary focus and collaborative vision, each instrument clearly exudes the spirit and inspiration of its player, squeezing more expression and lyricism out of guitars and drums than most singers could ever conjure with their voices. Take Care, Take Care, Take Care is Explosions In The Sky's most texturally diverse and emotionally dynamic album yet, and certainly their most masterfully crafted. It emanates a subtle humanity and disarming comfort that marries youthful idealism with intangible magic. It is perhaps the most emotionally arresting album by a band responsible for some of the most emotionally arresting music of the past decade.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
So you say you like Post-rock? you've listened to EITS before? Then you know what to expect. Typically beautiful soundscapes that feel at times so fragile they could break and at others so washing in reverb and tremolo that you fear you may drown. Another great album from the Austin boys. Probably not as strong as The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place (But lets face it that album is near genius in the genre) but definitely as good or better (if you can compare)to All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone. Basically If you like Explosions in the Sky You'll like the album. Also for fans of For A Minor Reflection, and possibly Mogwai and Sigur Ros
6 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Reviews of Explosions in the Sky's 6th LP (if you count `The Rescue') have been wildly fluctuating. The Skinny has this record pegged as a career-defining best, while The Organ claims that it's an album that they will `probably never ever have the urge to ever go back to it when there's so many other things we could pull down from the shelf and partake of'. Drowned In Sound have chimed in too, inexplicably comparing it to strawberry ice cream, or something equally as stupid.
To be fair, the accompanying press notes don't do any favours either mentioning body pecrussion and Japanese singing bowls, while claiming that the band have taken giant creative leaps with this record. Which is quite ironic, given the fact Explosions have backed themselves into a corner with their inherently pretty, but one-dimensional instrumental sound, over the course of their career. On `Take Care...' this Texan quartet has, at least, come out fighting and are taking chances, rather than rehashing older ideas -- which I found to be a problem on their last LP `All of a Sudden, I Miss Everyone'.
Trembling Hands'is their attempt at some sort of commercial single and it works for the most part, with its fast-paced staccato percussion, obscured but infectious vocals and driving guitars, it's certainly different from what's gone on before. 'Be Comfortable, Creature' is also alive with new ideas, with the band purposefully taking their time and letting the song breathe amidst some gorgeous guitar interplay between Munaf Rayani and Michael James. 'Human Qualities', though, errs on the side of caution, sticking a lot more closely to their tried and tested sound, but adds some haunting, muted chants and electronics amongst the beautiful guitar parts and pitter-patter drums, before wasting such progress with one of those tiresome crescendo's so typical of the instrumental music scene. Likewise, closing number `Let Me Back In' shows off some progressive moves and more excellent guitar work before hitting yet another cul-de-sac of tired quiet/loud dynamics.
If 'Take Care...' is your first time experiencing Explosions in the Sky, I would imagine this would be quite wonderful, but if you've grown up with them particularly during their classic `Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Live Forever' and `The Earth Is Not A Cold Place' periods, then this won't sound all that much different. It's pleasing to see them taking chances, but that `giant creative leaps' statement proves to be a false dawn, this is more a step in the right direction.
As a side note, the vinyl edition of `Take Care, Take Care, Take Care' features some of the most fantastic packaging ideas I have yet come across
To be fair, the accompanying press notes don't do any favours either mentioning body pecrussion and Japanese singing bowls, while claiming that the band have taken giant creative leaps with this record. Which is quite ironic, given the fact Explosions have backed themselves into a corner with their inherently pretty, but one-dimensional instrumental sound, over the course of their career. On `Take Care...' this Texan quartet has, at least, come out fighting and are taking chances, rather than rehashing older ideas -- which I found to be a problem on their last LP `All of a Sudden, I Miss Everyone'.
Trembling Hands'is their attempt at some sort of commercial single and it works for the most part, with its fast-paced staccato percussion, obscured but infectious vocals and driving guitars, it's certainly different from what's gone on before. 'Be Comfortable, Creature' is also alive with new ideas, with the band purposefully taking their time and letting the song breathe amidst some gorgeous guitar interplay between Munaf Rayani and Michael James. 'Human Qualities', though, errs on the side of caution, sticking a lot more closely to their tried and tested sound, but adds some haunting, muted chants and electronics amongst the beautiful guitar parts and pitter-patter drums, before wasting such progress with one of those tiresome crescendo's so typical of the instrumental music scene. Likewise, closing number `Let Me Back In' shows off some progressive moves and more excellent guitar work before hitting yet another cul-de-sac of tired quiet/loud dynamics.
If 'Take Care...' is your first time experiencing Explosions in the Sky, I would imagine this would be quite wonderful, but if you've grown up with them particularly during their classic `Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Live Forever' and `The Earth Is Not A Cold Place' periods, then this won't sound all that much different. It's pleasing to see them taking chances, but that `giant creative leaps' statement proves to be a false dawn, this is more a step in the right direction.
As a side note, the vinyl edition of `Take Care, Take Care, Take Care' features some of the most fantastic packaging ideas I have yet come across
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Whereas Explosions In the Sky's first record; 'Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Live Forever' often explodes into cathartic maelstrom and 'The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place' builds tension and apprehension into crests of pure release, 'Take Care' seems almost content. They're simply playing what they know with their hearts and as a consequence, the music therein sounds utterly effortless and each segment flows beautifully into the next with ease and classy precision.
That chiming guitar interplay and rising anxious string work is unique to them and is played out beautifully throughout the album, yet they don't rely as heavily on it as they have done in the past. 'Take Care' is more varied; 'Human Qualities' uses an electronic drum pattern at the beginning, 'Trembling Hands' is much faster and more frantic than anything they've written, 'Be Comfortable, Creature' uses an ebow to great effect. All these new and varied elements serve to make 'Take Care' Explosions' most varied album and therefore up there with their most memorable work.
Explosions have once again crafted a beautiful instrumental rock album. It's not as cathartic as their first and it's not going to top '...Cold Dead Place' as their "go-to" album but there are genuinely no other bands that are as good as Explosions at what they do and any new music by them is received as a breath of fresh air.
'Take Care' isn't a perfect album mind you, and critics would argue that they're somewhat a one trick pony, but when the trick is this mesmerising, I don't care in the slightest.
That chiming guitar interplay and rising anxious string work is unique to them and is played out beautifully throughout the album, yet they don't rely as heavily on it as they have done in the past. 'Take Care' is more varied; 'Human Qualities' uses an electronic drum pattern at the beginning, 'Trembling Hands' is much faster and more frantic than anything they've written, 'Be Comfortable, Creature' uses an ebow to great effect. All these new and varied elements serve to make 'Take Care' Explosions' most varied album and therefore up there with their most memorable work.
Explosions have once again crafted a beautiful instrumental rock album. It's not as cathartic as their first and it's not going to top '...Cold Dead Place' as their "go-to" album but there are genuinely no other bands that are as good as Explosions at what they do and any new music by them is received as a breath of fresh air.
'Take Care' isn't a perfect album mind you, and critics would argue that they're somewhat a one trick pony, but when the trick is this mesmerising, I don't care in the slightest.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
I gave it five stars...
because Amazon's criteria for 5 starts is simply "I love it", and I do. That is not to say that you will. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Kevin N. Docherty
Buy it
No waffling here. This is an awesome album. Classic Explosions - superb melodies and everything you've come to expect from these guys. You will not be disappointed.
Published 8 months ago by itchyballs
Great Again.
I have been following Explosions in the Sky since the release of The Earth is Not a Cold, Dead Place and have not been disappointed by any of their subsequent releases and was... Read more
Published 11 months ago by I. Human
Refined and poignant
Take Care... is EITS's sound refined and as moving as all their other albums. A wonderful record with elements from all their previous albums that seem to have been combined to... Read more
Published 12 months ago by LMP
EITS TC,TC,TC
As a fan of most instrumental post rock bands I have listened to EITS and they are one of the best for their soft approach. Read more
Published 13 months ago by A. Holyoake
A Piece of Beauty
I have been a fan of EITS for a while and eagerly anticipated their latest release which did not let me down. The whole album is fantastic but parts of it are simply stunning. Read more
Published 13 months ago by inspectorman
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