Burst Apart

The Antlers | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 10, 2011)
• Original Release Date: 2011
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Frenchkiss
• ASIN: B004U8T3KQ
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #33,790 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. I Don't Want Love

2. French Exit

3. Parentheses

4. No Widows

5. Rolled Together

6. Every Night My Teeth Are Failing Out

7. Tiptoe

8. Hounds

9. Corsicana

10. Putting The Dog To Sleep

Editorial Reviews

The Antlers expand upon their already distinctive voice with Burst Apart, an inspired melding of complex electronic textures and acutely emotive song craft. The eagerly awaited follow-up to 2009's critically acclaimed Hospice was born out of an intensely collaborative process in which singer/guitarist Peter Silberman, drummer Michael Lerner, and keyboardlst/multl-instrumentalist Darby Cicci fully immersed themselves in sonic experimentation, working as a tightly knit creative unit to fulfill a shared musical vision. Songs like the shimmering "I Don't Want Love" and the languorous "Rolled Together" are lush, nuanced, and uncommonly moving, seamlessly integrating accessible and effective melodies with dynamiC, imaginative orchestrations. With its swelling pulsebeats, Intricately crafted arrangements, and dreamy pop hooks, the remarkably sensual Burst Apart sees The Amlers' ambition and artistry ascending to an extraordinary new plane. "It's a record about moving forward," says Silberman. "Hospice was kind of all- encompassing for a while and this record feels like us trying to figure out the way to move on from It. Not to abandon it, but to keep it In its place and figure out what's next." Recording began In September 2010 and then continued over a five-month span at the Brooklyn-based band's studio in Bushwlck. Rather than bring in an outside collaborator, the three musicians decided to pool their considerable skills and produce the record e mlrely on their own. Tvo years spent touring behind Hospice had left its mark on The Antlers. In addition to bonding the trio as f.....ds and colleagues, all three had developed an increased Interest In electronic music, what Silberman refers to as "music that keeps moving and is kind of entrancing and expansive at the same time. Headphone music,music that keeps you going while you're driving for 20 hours." The band's goal was to draw upon those post- rock sounds while still employing classic songwritlng structures, symbolizing ostensibly artificial qualities Into an organic pop template to evoke a full panoply of feeling. While The Antlers' ardent passion for musical exploration resonates throughout the album, It expertly sustains a careful balance between the cerebral and the visceral. EpicIn aspiration yet Intimate at its core, Burst Apart Is an astonishingly affective collection that offers an exhilarating glimpse into The AntIers' Incandescent heart.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than Hospice? June 28, 2011

By mr. flux

Format:Audio CD

Many of the reviewers here and elsewhere begin by asking whether Burst Apart has met expectations after the brilliant Hospice. Many don't think so and the reasons seem fair enough. Hospice is a wonderful album with treasures throughout. Burst Apart is no doubt a departure. It has a gentler and, at least to my ears, more cohesive sound that at times evokes Radiohead's explorations of ambient electronic rock or Cocteau Twins' Treasure-era lushness. Burst Apart is perhaps less innovative than its predecessor as comparisons to Radiohead only confirm.

But I find it more enjoyable. This is an album that can be listened to more consistently than Hospice. At times Hospice sounded forced, jarring, even "arty", whereas Bust Apart is effortless and beautiful. It works equally well as background music and as intense-listening music. I realize many people care about Hospice a lot and that may be the problem here. If the release order of the albums were reversed I imagine that some would view the earlier Hospice as a misguided attempt at originality. Time will tell, but my guess is that, between the two, Burst Apart is the timeless one.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars The Antlers - Burst Apart May 10, 2011

By Andrew Vice

Format:Audio CD

I don't envy the Antlers the position they are in to follow up 2009's landmark Hospice. Coming completely out of left field, Hospice was a brilliantly orchestrated album about the literal and figurative death of a relationship, chronicalling the abuse, the isolation, and the small glimmers of hope in between the sorrow. The risk of cliche in discussing follow-up Burst Apart is immense: "it isn't as good as Hospice," "it sounds like Radiohead," or "it's even better than Hospice." The reality for me is that two of these ring fairly true.

Burst Apart mines some of the same emotional space as Hospice, but it pushes past the pervasive sorrow of that album and trends into warmer waters. Opener "I Don't Want Love" is a lush, looping pop gem whose warm sounds bely the cold message. Elsewhere, living up to the Radiohead comparisons, "Parantheses" and "Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out" work within some of that band's atonal pop universe, pairing chiming guitars with breathy falsetto for a sort of patented sound. Burst Apart is ten very solid songs with some strange pacing. The jump from "Parantheses" to "No Widows" is jarring and poorly conceived, given the flawless listing and pacing of Hospice.

All in all, Burst Apart is a very solid effort from a band struggling to live up to the massive hype generated by its breakout album, and it is largely successful at meeting the expectations of a hungry fanbase. Not every that loved Hospice will love this record, but many more that didn't dig Hospice all that hard should be heavy into Burst Apart.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic record August 22, 2011

By Crunchy Groove

Format:MP3 Music|Amazon Verified Purchase

I was actually somehwat disappointed with "Hospice", but took a chance on this anyway. I am so glad I did - this is one of, if not the best record I have heard this year. I have listened to it every day for the past couple weeks, and still hear new things. If you have any doubts about purchasing this, please put them aside - you will be so happy you did.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Open July 19, 2011

By M. Buisman

Format:Audio CD

The Antlers' first connection with a larger audience, "Hospice" was a an album so haunting and moving that it has remained in high rotation on my iPod. A beautiful concept album about a dying cancer patient and the man who takes care of her made The Antlers a new name to be reckoned with, especially after some powerful live shows where they were able to get an entire crowd dead silent. One thing that came out of these shows and the news songs they played was that the new album could never be as dark as "Hospice". "Burst Apart" sounds at first listen less dark, but hasn't changed my perception of The Antlers in the least.
Ok, a title like `I Don't Want Love' doesn't particularly sound upbeat. Peter Silberman' falsetto voice is however much more clear and stretched and really shows the big steps they made into a much more professional band.
The keyboards are a little more 80ish and the drums slightly muffled but still the songs make you listen intensely so you cannot but get overwhelmed and get in a trance induced by the layers of keyboards, guitars and Silberman's hovering high voice. A good example of this is the dubby `Parantheses' or the hypnothic `Rolled Together'.
"Burst Apart" has less layers of sound than "Hospice", it has less to hide. The final two songs are for Antlers standards quite clear. The overall quality of the songs remains high but never reaches the heights of "Hospice". But this wasn't to be suspected and cannot be a blemish on the Antler's body of work, if anything they show they remain a quality indie band who will give us much more unique stuff.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Nocturnal Soundscapes July 17, 2011

By Terry Ferrell

Format:Audio CD

Burst Apart, the fourth studio album from Brooklyn indie outfit The Antlers, is their first album since 2009's well received Hospice. Sonically, the album possesses a very nocturnal feel. Peter Silberman's soft, but high cooing conjures images of lonely animals calling out in the moonlight, while soft, swaying guitar riffs hypnotize the listener into a dreamlike lull. Even some of the song titles themselves invoke a night time setting; most obvious is the track "Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out," which in dreams is symbolic of impotence.

While every song is delicious to the ears and stands well on its own, the album's strongest point is the "Parentheses"-"No Widows"-"Rolled Together" run (tracks 3, 4, and 5 respectively). With "Parentheses," the album takes a darker turn with a more pronounced electric guitar center. From here, the listener is taken into a 5+ minute drug-like state of circular beats and repetitive soft howling in "No Widows." Concluding this tri-song run is "Rolled Together," which combines Silberman's soft howls with layered vocals resembling a deserted beach campfire sing-a-along.

With its 11 tracks, the album clocks in at just under 42 minutes. So grab your MP3 player, your favorite ear buds, find a clear starry night, and be prepared to be transported.