In nearly ten years since they got together, Crescent
have only released four albums, rarely remaining in
the limelights long enough to catch the attention of
the crowds. Formed in Bristol by members of Movietone
and Flying Saucer Attack, the band’s roots are
firmly set in post-rock grounds. From their early lo-fi
outburst to the electronic experiments of Electronic
Sound Construction, released on Domino in 1997,
the band has increasingly developed the sonic realm
in which they evolve, yet have retained the essence
of their music. Follow up to Collected Songs,
released in 2000, By The Roads & The Fields
is published by the ever-excellent Brighton-based Fat-Cat
Records.
On By The Roads & The Fields, Crescent
abandon the occasional eruptions of previous recordings
to concentrate on the more fragile and atmospheric side
of their music. Recorded with very limited resources
in a variety of places, including an artist-run cinema
and their own bedroom, this album sees the band delicately
peeling the many different layers of sounds to reveal
the natural beauty of the eight songs presented here.
Matt Jones’s nonchalant, almost drone-like, vocals
only serves to highlight the fragile sonic environment
of each composition, almost appearing distant all the
way through. If the songs are indubitably atmospheric,
the variety of instruments and sonic sources, ranging
from a self-built double bass and prepared piano to
guitars, melodica, organ with looped tapes and metal
bowls added to the mix, denotes a taste for unusual
sonic structures. The melodies are equally as discreet
and constrained, developing almost reluctantly, forcing
the listener to hang on to these rare manifestations
of concrete nature. Opening By The Roads & The
Fields with one of its most introvert moments,
Crescent patiently assemble the multiple components
encountered along the way to give Spring density
and shape. As Jones’s strolling voice lingers
in the background, the instrumentation slowly grows
more obvious and imposing. If Mimosa or Mica
appear equally recluse and melancholic, the brighter
New Leaves and Fountains disrupts
the quiet atmospheres as Crescent ventures in almost
psychedelic territories for a while, only retreating
to more subdued territories at the approach of Straight
Line, where Jones’s voice, outlined by the
omnipresent rumble of a double bass and the austere
elegance of a piano, appears at its most monotonal.
Dispensing infinitely rich structures with extreme parsimony,
Crescent’s nocturnal compositions prove challenging,
captivating and gracefully poetic. By The Roads
& The Fields reveals the more melancholic side
of this band apparently out of touch with the harsh
reality of everyday life, and invite whoever is willing
to follow them in a most enlightening journey.
3.9/5 |
