Downward Is Heavenward
Isle of the Cheetah is a convincing argument for taking the long way through a rock song. Its guitars spread outward while Matt Talbott sings with a calm that makes the scale feel almost ordinary. Hum let the arrangement grow around a small human presence, and Downward Is Heavenward repeatedly finds strength in that relationship.
The album sounds carefully worked through without losing its physical force. Distorted guitars have room to separate into different lines, the bass holds a firm place, and the drums give each expansion a definite shape. Even the largest passages contain details that reward attention.
Ms. Lazarus makes a more compact impression. Its lighter rhythmic movement sets up the heavier change with an efficiency that contrasts well with the longer tracks. Comin' Home also provides a concentrated burst of energy. These shorter songs help the record breathe between its broader arrangements.
Afternoon with the Axolotls is one of those broader pieces, and one of the best. The voice remains restrained while the guitar and drums create a much larger emotional range around it. The music does not need a constant succession of vocal hooks because the relationship between the parts keeps changing. Its force feels expansive rather than blunt.
Dreamboat adds another shade through its unsettled guitar textures. The verses have a wavering quality that makes the arrival of the heavier band feel especially dramatic. Hum can move between delicacy and impact without treating either as a temporary effect. Both belong to the same song.
The consistency of Talbott's delivery may take time to connect with. He offers little of the obvious theatrical emphasis that such substantial music might suggest. Yet that restraint becomes an advantage: it leaves space for the listener to notice how much the instruments are expressing.
Downward Is Heavenward is a deeply assured album. Its songs have different lengths and routes, but share a clear understanding of how weight, space and melody can work together. The band rarely have to announce a climax for it to register. A change in guitar colour or a well timed drum entrance can be enough to make the whole scene shift.
