Explosions in the Sky: All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone

Label: Temporary Residence

Cynics may wonder how many albums we need by an instrumental indie-rock band. If the band is Explosions in the Sky, the answer is “all of them and more,” since they just keep getting better and better each time out. All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone, their fourth full-length, captures their chiming guitars with both clarity and ambience; they are more consistently offering shimmering, slow-building pieces that don’t switch gears as abruptly as some of their earlier ones did, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of variety in textures and dynamics (and mood), both from one track to the next and within a single piece. The little tintinnabulating guitar patterns act as melodies/hooks; the droning washes of sound under them keep it all from sounding like a music box. This CD (which comes with a limited edition bonus disc of remixes featuring Jesu, Mountains, Adem, Four Tet, Eluvium and the Paper Chase) is so good that EITS now officially passes Lanterna as my favorite instrumental indie-rock band. (Steve)