My Education - 5 Popes
(self-released)
Guitars picking pretty melodies, carefully decorated with piano or viola, rising majestically to a full climax before gently reclining against a pillow of white noise, cradling you to sleep. It is as formulaic as genrification itself, and yet if done well, post-rock (if you must call it that) can either seize your attention or raise hairs you weren't aware needed shaving. And although it's not math-rock (again, if you must), there seems to be an equation at work that bears elaboration before solution.
The 5 Popes EP opens with "Concentration Waltz," a tune that plays to the band's dynamic strengths while showcasing a tuneful approach. A three-chord waltz slowly gives way to guitar tracks that ascend the scale proportional to their volume, aided by minimal drumming that might be content to wallow in the fuzz. As the zenith is reached, the guitars begin a mellow descent from their dizzying heights, touching the ground only after stretching out to explore a bridge that serves as a comedown.
"Lesson 3" tackles similar terrain, bringing an explosive chorus sooner than expected, then settling back into a loping gait with keyboard flourishes before revisiting the chorus once again. "Nightrider Meets the Waterfall" is a more upbeat offering, but somehow it sounds awfully close to a pre-Kid A-era Radiohead outtake (maybe "Airbag"?), not that this should be considered a drawback. "Deep Cut" combines an A-B pattern with crescendos, each section gaining momentum as it approaches the inevitable blast of volume that signals the pinnacle of each song. There is almost a reprise toward the end of the blast, but it tenderly fizzles out instead, effects pedals mercifully released from delayed captivity.
The closer, "Crime Story," charts the same route explored by its predecessors, countermelodies shifting through the hazy din, searching for a new path to follow. One highlight on this number is the viola, which seers above the effects-driven guitar lines, not unlike Papa John Creach so many years ago during the tail end of Jefferson Airplane's flight.
It's the soft-loud dynamics, the picked single-note guitar lines, the rise and fall of instrumental rock music that makes this EP enjoyable, yet predictable. The songs are compelling and lovely, if lacking the knockout punch that would make them irresistible. However, the sonic delights of the band should not simply be overlooked because of this. My Education can be excused if their sound is not breaking any new ground, as long as they are doing such an exceptional job on the land/soundscaping.
Recommended If You Like: Explosions in the Sky, Mogwai, etc...
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