Wood and Wires

Artist:Wood and Wires
Album: Wood and Wires
Year: 2006
Genre: Post-Rock, Instrumental, Experimental












Wisconsin based Wood and Wires are yet another post rock band who wear their influences on their sleeves. It would be ridiculous, however, to condemn this or any other group for putting an admirable attempt into creating an album full of Mono-esque soundscapes and passages from the Explosions In The Sky school of build-ups. As evident from their song titles, the cosmos also seem to be a major influence into what this band has attempted to accomplish. If aural beauty is a goal of this style of post rock, Wood and Wires have achieved at least some level of success, though not quite worthy of a clear night in an Alaskan winter.
Though actual highlights are few and far between, the general sound and feel of the music is in no way mediocre, and is actually quite peaceful; highlighted greatly on the second track, "Canes Venatici". "Archernar", the third and weakest track on the album, is of note if only to point out the very beginning of its overlong and repetitive existence, in which radio and/or television signals are jumbled together in a nod to the cosmos itself, which receives an endless amount of said signals on a daily basis from our small and insignificant planet. I only wish this interesting add-on had been part of the best and most fitting song on the album, "Vega". This track is nothing more than a piano piece, yet it is very powerful on it's own; much more than anything else on the album. It exists quietly and beautifully on it's own terms, and greatly accentuates what could be a small gesture to the grand beauty of the fifth brightest start in our sky. In a bit of disappointment, this superb song gives way to a far less impressive closing track, which features a near-playful melody that seems somewhat out of place.
On the whole, with only their first effort, Wood and Wires show at least a moderate amount of potential, which is certainly enough for me to recommend to anyone that enjoys gentle and reflective music. Though not entirely convincing or overly impressive, the few excellent passages offered in this album have more than done their job in keeping my interest as I look forward to what this band can come up with next. For an album seemingly dedicated to the beauty of the cosmos, I'd say the band have taken their first important steps in creating their own universe.(by SinsOfArcadia)