Arbouretum have quietly snuck under most people’s radar to become a critical favourite. Their last album ‘The Gathering’ even managed to sneak onto a few best of year lists back in 2011, but moving forward, Arbouretum have looked to refine their monolithic sound, pushing it to a wider audience and create the sort of classic rock record that has almost become a mythical beast this decade.
It’s certainly a remarkably muscular sound the band has, as the slice of pure Americana ‘The Long Night‘ showcases. Built upon a twangy mid-tempo guitar hook, it slowly charms and worms its way under your skin, the deep vocals of Dave Heumann standing out amongst the thundering melody. The album sounds at its most comfortable when it’s throwing its weight around, building songs to the point where they have towering power, which is perfectly highlighted on ‘World Split Open‘. It sounds pretty nihilistic, its relentless bass thumping and powering along Heumann’s howls.
However, it’s the moments that deviate from the hard rock blueprint that really impress and intrigue. ‘Easter Island‘ is practically a 3 minute solo, with a start that is bizarrely reminiscent of Joy Division’s ‘She’s Lost Control‘, but within seconds its morphed into a particularly raw beast and benefits from being a blast of speed in an otherwise fairly controlled album.
Similarly, the lighter, American folk of ‘Coming Out Of The Fog‘ and ‘Oceans Don’t Sing‘ help to provide the album with a bit of texture. ‘Oceans..‘ is built for a 70’s festival, a tender ballad that rises to a powerful crescendo, while the title track feels like a rare moment of light for the band. Heumann’s vocals are softer here and his almost sighed chorus of “Coming out of the fog” feels more like a peaceful mantra as the album winds itself down.
Sometimes though, the band themselves get lost in their own songs and lose themselves to excessive solos and outros. ‘Renouncer‘ just seems to build to its solo, never really burning with the same intensity or possessing the engaging hooks of the rest of the album.
Similarly, ‘The Promise‘ is built like a stock car, powered by Corey Allender’s forceful bass, chugging along a dusty highway, with a guitar solo that breezes by like the wind. It’s immensely enjoyable but the solo ends up diluting the songs appeal. Considering that the band have gone out of their way to pull their sound closer to a mainstream audience, shaving the song times down to less than seven minutes, some of these overly long sequences detract from the experience.
But it is an experience. Arbouretum have crafted an album that slowly unfurls its charms and pleasures, rewarding the patient listener who is willing to dig deep into the album. At its most engaging, ‘Coming Out Of The Fog‘ creates a potent and powerful blend of rock and folk.
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