[rating=2.00]
The Brooklyn band Lowry’s newest release is a long running mid-tempo opus which is the end of a trilogy the band started back with 2005’s Awful Joy. Playing at over an hour the disc can lull and blend into the background with its soothing guitar lines and piano melodies floating over vocals that never want to disturb the tranquil mood, no matter what the subject matter addresses.
There are a few moments where things break through the sleepy presentation, as on “Waves and Tides” which flows like its title in and out while energetically building to its final notes. The acoustic laden “Lie To Me” is the central point of the album and drips easily over seven minutes but says everything it needs to during the intro. Repetitive piano lines, layers of guitars and strings add to the sereneness along with the “already done that” feeling of some tracks like “The Weight Of Light”.
Emporia plays better as a whole piece that flirts with watercolor textures and minimal changes rather then dissecting its individual tracks. The blending is easy and reassuring if a bit snooze inducing; the fact that nothing stands out could be a considered a detriment but it also speaks to the overall artistic whole the band presents with this release.
