Band at a Gallop4 Out Of 5 Stars
Fronted by the otherworldly voice of Ben Bridwell, Band Of Horses make dreamy folk music ala Fleet Foxes and My Morning Jacket. Alternating between cushiony pop, unabashed folk and guitar rock, "Cease To Begin" cuts a wide swath musically. Sometimes the jumps can be jarring, like when the bashing guitars of "Cigarettes Wedding Bands" slips into the country ballad "Window Blues," complete with a banjo. There's a great opener in "Is There A Ghost" that mixes both the dream-pop with an eventual cascade of guitsr, combing the band's strength in the best offering here. What ties this all together is Bridwell's voice and an uncanny sense of melody; even his brashest songs have underlying hooks. Add some really gorgeous harmonies ("Window Blues" again), you get one of those indie bands earning their cred the hard way, by working outside the system. "Cease To Begin" is a relaxed and understated album.
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