Knitting By Twilight
"Riding the Way Back"
EP
It's
Twilight Time
Genre: instrumental
Providence, RI
November 2009 |
How to describe
Knitting By Twilight most effectively? They are an instrumental
rock band, per se, though that characterization hardly does justice
to their sound. Employing several different guitars utilized in
several different manners, along with bells, an extensive percussion
section, and some keys for good measure, the band have concocted an
intriguing and occasionally sublime little record here. The release
is somewhat disjointed, owing to the EP's being built out of the
detritus from their last album, An Evening Out of Town,
though each song seems to tell its own story. Rooted in rock music,
the band often strays from that - snagging elements of (free) jazz,
electronic, World, and pure avant-gardery.
On Riding the Way
Back, Knitting By Twilight often touches upon
sheer bliss - for example on the alternating chaos and prettiness of
"Shiver," or the brilliant Tangerine Dreaming of "Blue Ink
for Fountain Pens." Unfortunately, other tracks are more interesting
in spirit than they are in execution, including the formless
free-jazz twiddling of "She's Here" and the quickly worn-thin
"Twirling Guitars and Glad Tambourines." Because of this record's
haphazard composition, I have had some trouble getting into it, and
ten or so listens in, I'm not sure whether I can get my head around
it. There's no doubt that these folks are inventive musicians, but I
wouldn't recommend Riding the Way Back to anyone except those
who've already digested and enjoyed Evening Out of Town.
knitting by twilight's myspace
Matt Shimmer
[Vitals: 11 tracks, distributed by
the label,
released 2009] |