9 Autumn Defense Autumn Defense Broadmoor Records | 2007 | Album Biography Comments (0) Read Full Page Digg Review Add del.icio.us   I’m always suspicious of bands who self-title an album that isn’t their first release. Are they still trying to find their musical identity? What gives? I know I won’t get any kind of satisfactory answer from most of the bands out there but at least the Autumn Defense has sent back a reply in the form of an album. While their previous releases – 2001s The Green Hour and 2003s Circles - showcased a band with a pretty old-fashioned type sound, 2007s The Autumn Defense is a whole other story. What was once merely nice to listen to is now lush. The harmonies don’t only recall master music makers Simon and Garfunkel but they even step it up a notch at times. Band members/multi-instrumentalists John Stirratt and Pat Sansone have had more time to focus on their music since they are now both working together in that other little side project of theirs called Wilco. In between tour dates with that band, the guys created little beauties for The Autumn Defense like “Canyon Arrow”, a song that mixes smooth guitar rifts with an echoing flute. It’s all around gorgeous! “Estate Remains” also keeps things in a mellow mood but you don’t have to worry about nodding off thanks to the clever rhymes that come so easy to these two. The Autumn Defense is all about feeling and mood and sometimes they get a little carried away in that vein. Songs like “Winterlight” and “This Will Fall Away” are lilting for sure but they sacrifice melody and a hook in favor of being steeped in atmosphere. But for every song that doesn’t set you on fire, this duo will counter with one that does. “We Would Never Die” and “City Bells” are two of the best and most thoughtful folk songs that we’ll see this year and perhaps, for many years to come. Lyrics like “We looked out at the ice blue sky / I knew right away that we could never die” feel timeless when coming from Stirratt and Sansone. “City Bells”, with its sad tinkling of piano keys, is bittersweet and nostalgic much like the old Al Stewart hit “The Year of the Cat”. No one has created a musical palette to tell stories with like Autumn Defense has in quite a long time. Enjoy! Amy Wagner Comments (0) Help Support Kevchino - Use these links to buy new music.

Releases Autumn Defense - Autumn Defense   Broadmoor Records - 2007 - Album Similar Bands & Projects Glenn Kotche Wilco Artist Website Autumn Defense - Official Website