The Wake

Band of Horses - Cease to Begin

Band of Horses exploded onto innumerable rock radars last March with the release of their first album, Everything All The Time. It was an album too beautiful for words. Cease to Begin, released on October 9th, builds on the success of their drifting southern sound, and takes it in a couple of new directions.

As good as their first album was, one song stood out amongst the rest. Entitled, “The Funeral,” it put them on the map and, with its eerie “ooohs,” soaring guitars, and crashing drums and vocals, left many fans goose bump stricken. Though there’s no clear cut single on Cease to Begin, the new album in its entirety captures all the raw emotion of the first album, and takes it to new heights. Several slower, ballad types are reminiscent of older tracks (the hilariously titled “detlef schrempf” being a prime example). Each track is fairly pleasant; frontman Ben Bridwell’s soft croon lends a vulnerability. However, the full Band of Horses effect isn’t reached until the guitars get noisy and Bridwell’s gentle disposition changes to a fiery southern conviction. On tracks like opener, “Is There A Ghost,” and the piano driven, clap/stomp groove, “The General Specific,” Band of Horses make an extremely persuasive case for themselves. Surely a worth your time, this is a band that could grow to be a new favorite.

I give Cease to Begin an 8 out of 10 on Carl’s, I enjoy warm, country rock ballads as much as the next guy, scale of review.