Search - For Against :: Coalesced

Lincoln Nebraska's FOR AGAINST returns with their first album in five years, and one of their most compelling and melodic releases to date. 'Coalesced' delivers Jeffrey Runnings' trademark soaring vocals enmeshed in a delicate latticework of guitars and punctuated rhythms, to craft an arresting blend of lucid, gorgeous atmospheres. The album was produced by Mike Mogis (Azure Ray, Bright Eyes, Cursive). The title track opens with an etching of the contemplative disposition of 'Echelons,' only to burst into a rousing chorus and race through a three-minute coda of vigorous guitarwork. "Fuel" and "Shelflife" are matchless ballads, perhaps the finest and most heartrending Runnings has ever composed. On "Medication" and "So Long," Paul Engelhard's spry, energetic drumming anchors Runnings' airy vocal melodies to Steven Hinrichs' sparkling guitars. The finale, "Love You," resurrects early Felt into an excursion of the scenic side of post-rock, weaving multiple layers of guitar melodies with a precise, balanced cadence and rhythm. In short, 'Coalesced' is a seamless, coherent masterpiece of riveting pop craftsmanship, unspoiled by studio contrivances or artistic pretensions.