((sounder)), There is another sun clouded over with meticulous care

((sounder))’s There is another sun clouded over with meticulous care is jammy, drone-y, and long. It drags in the middle under its own ponderous weight. The album and song titles are cumbersome, and most of the songs could be cut down by a third and none would be the wiser.

I love it.

((sounder)) is definitely a mood band. You have to be careful and in the proper frame of mind to launch into this album, and more than once I shut it off before I got to the end. But those times when you are willing to put the effort into it, There is another sun… rewards the listener. Built to Spill, old Modest Mouse, and Mogwai are all in evidence here. The percussion especially sounds good, and the entire recording has a very live feel. The electronic beats, stabs, and loops are never the focus of the songs, adding texture without being overbearing or sounding trendy. One of the most difficult things in the folk-electronic mash-up world is to find sounds and loops that actually sound good with an acoustic guitar.

Highlights include the first song “Untitled/It’s Just A Sound Like Any Other Sound” with a Squarepusher(?!?) intro that morphs into an acoustic-driven alt-rock piece with distorted vocals and electronic bits and keys providing an interesting layer underneath. At the other end of the electronic-acoustic spectrum, “Ssnnddrr” incorporates the acoustic guitar as part of the rhythm while the melody and hooks are provided by cool loops of feedback. Unlike many bands, where the electronic parts are on equal footing with other instruments in the band, ((sounder)) creates interest and impact by using them only when necessary. A great album to fall asleep or veg out to.