And Then Like Lions
Blind Pilot give grief a steady musical setting on And Then Like Lions. Israel Nebeker's writing follows loss without insisting that every song should reach a dramatic conclusion. The band works with acoustic instruments, careful harmonies and occasional fuller arrangements, allowing different kinds of sadness to take their own time. The calm surface contains more emotional movement than it first appears to.
“Umpqua Rushing” is an excellent opening. The instruments accumulate slowly around the melody, and Nebeker's voice sounds close enough for the uncertainty to remain clear. The song connects a place to the feelings attached to it without making the arrangement overly descriptive. “Moon at Dawn” moves into a hazier atmosphere, with sustained guitar sounds and additional colors creating a sense of distance. Both songs trust the listener to stay with a mood rather than demand an immediate hook.
“Packed Powder” brings a livelier rhythm and rich harmonies, giving the sequence a useful change in temperature. “Don't Doubt” offers another point of warmth. Those songs matter because the quieter material can otherwise begin to share a similar pace. The album's most ambitious arrangement arrives with “What Is Yet,” where a long instrumental entrance leads into a more direct lament. Strings and horns make the song feel broad without disconnecting it from the acoustic foundation. It is a strong example of the band's ability to expand at the moment the writing needs it.
A few passages feel too settled for such difficult subject matter, and the gentleness can soften distinctions between individual songs. The closing “Like Lions” nevertheless gives the record a convincing sense of continued life rather than an easy resolution. And Then Like Lions rewards attention to the choices around Nebeker's voice. The musicians rarely make a large gesture without preparing for it, and their patience helps the emotion remain credible. The record's comfort comes from allowing loss to occupy a room with warmth still inside it.
