“Maybe I have shaven into new mirrors” Charles Bukowsky once wrote - Still Motions shows how different the mirrors of Post-Rock can be.
It is very difficult to impress in a genre as “limited” and yet as “open” as post-rock. However, there is also hardly any genre with more appreciative fans who welcome new bands to the fold as much as post-rock. Still Motions from Phoenix, Arizona prove both points.
Their style of music is floating somewhere between Iiah, Russian Circles and Outlander and Mirrors is their full-length debut released on POST.Recordings and by now nearly completely sold out; after mere a few weeks. That, of course, raises the question how this debut record can have gathered such a following so quickly? There are three possible answers: a) very small number of records made available, b) lots of fans just simply buying from a well-known label, c) an awesome record. While a) and b) should be dismissed as too negative-minded, c) can be answered by having a good look at the music itself.
The band is quite intriguing in their approach to metal-induced post-rock for often this genre relies on a strong drummer to tell “the story”. In this case, however, it is more the guitar work that keeps the listener on the edge. It is the ability to strike a chord without breaking the scene; to softly let it float into existence where it can choose for itself whether it wants to meander out or open up everything else around it. If one then takes into consideration the fact that the riffs used to add lots of muscle to fragile constructions, you will understand that this band is all about the six-string. Guitareros Thomas Brenneman and Chris Estes really deliver on the spot with riffs, spirals, crescendos, miniscules and pickings.
All of that shall take nothing away from the rhythm section of Gigi Zimmer on the bass and Chris Julian behind the drums, because it needs a lot of self-control to fully live the role of supporting cast and give it as much depth as these two are giving. Their precision and power is not dominating but also never giving in. Julian does so by a frequent soft touch on the cymbals and rides and a clear-cut use of the toms and snares and Gigi adds some depth and volume to the whole soundscape that is also much-needed with so many of the guitar lines being rather high and delicate.
Oh, coming back to the question of how come the record is nearly sold out – I guess it is a combination of a lot of devoted genre-fans and a record to really fit the need and mood of said fans. Still Motions will hopefully do both for quite some time now.
