This Will Destroy You

They say everything’s bigger in Texas, and, goddammit, that just may be true. Sparking an eye-popping amount of post-rock bands, it seems that the blood horizon is perfect fodder for introspection accompanied by loud, fuzzy layers of feedback. Fellow Texans Explosions in the Sky, My Education and Purchase New York are all cut from the same sonic palette as TWDY, but each is also wonderfully individual. To give credit to the cynic in all of us, yes, it is all quiet/loud, but it’s what the band do within that pole that gives TWDY their heft. Take "I Believe In Your Victory,” where the guitars ring with a sincerity and hunger that borders on sublime, all the while being anchored in the steady tension of the booming drums. Equally amazing is the cheeky opener, "Quiet,” which has a vicious streak that gives the loud parts a metal tinge. The band take a left turn for "Grandfather Clock” and focus on electronics, which is completely inadvisable. In business, it’s called stick to your knitting, and with great promise in the instrumental post-rock, why ruin it with plodding electro-fiddling? Maybe those balls ain’t as big as we think.