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Angels of Light | Review

Nov 01, 2005

Under The Radar Magazine | Matt Fink

it’s the rare split release that plays like a coherent full length

Issue #11 Fall 05 Akron/Family and Angels of Light Coming off like Animal Collective channeling The Band in a remake of Abbey Road, Akron/Family create a beautifully obtuse, yet wholly approachable clatter on this split release with mentor Michael Gira. Opening with a lonely electric guitar line and harmonies in “Awake”, the album soon shifts into the jarring blast of guitar feedback and clattering anti-music drum rolls of “Moment”, dissolving into a lush chorus of layered wordless vocals. Part campfire sing-along, multi-part rock opera and frenzied freakout, these songs wind through wildly different, clearly delineated parts, with each multi-part arrangement striking a dazzling balance between pristine sunrise textures and stomping psychedelic workouts. Backing up Gira, the band rolls back their sprawl a bit, supporting his heavy croon with a dark tangle of guitar lines and swirling feedback in “The Provider”, and surrounding him with a chorus of shrieks in the tribally stomping “Mother/Father”. Add it up, and it’s the rare split release that plays like a coherent full length, one of the year’s most unlikely breakthroughs.