It has been four years since Mimicking Birds‘ last release, and beyond any type of collected thought or insight I could surmise within the parameters of my keyboard, nothing will be as effective as getting my love for this album across to you besides simply saying that the wait over all 1,505 days has been worth it.
“I will protect your shadow.”
EONS, the sophomore album by Portland-based Mimicking Birds is a haunting piece of art. Featuring a far more prevalent backing band than the band’s self-titled debut, EONS is a stirring exposition of sound, emotion, and ambiance. With the opening “Memorabilia,” the band locks into a groove comfortable enough to stabilize the listener, all before being whisked away by the ever growing ripples of sound. While Mimicking Birds was a slow, and drone like emulation of lo-fi sounds, EONS boasts a faster paced presence, truly showing what the band is capable of.
With a rhythm section brought to the foreground, the band is able to make every single second of sound emanate with the highest of meaning, making every vocal melody that much more earned, each guitar bend resonate stronger, and every thud of percussion bring it all back to center. Following “Memorabilia” is “Acting Your Age,” and this succession of works may be one of the most impactful of the year. Maybe it is because my daydreams have slowly turned from irrational escapades in far off lands to finding a well paying, respectable job, but “Acting Your Age” initiates various degrees of societal questions, things that I most surely do not have the answers for yet.
One of the most rewarding aspects of the album most certainly stems from the invitation of multiple instruments per song. Each song varies in vibe, and the introduction of a higher percussion and bass presence make each song memorable in its own right. By album mid-track “Bloodlines,” each piece up to that point remains constant with a distinct mood in my mind, inviting a song for every purpose.
The album continues with exceptional flow, highlighting some fantastic guitar work on “Night Light,” followed by eerie electronics on “Water Under Burned Bridges.” “Seeing Eye Dog” creates a similar eerie vibe, though more transparent and ambient. Closing with the cathartic “Moving On,” EONS ends beautifully.
Do not mistake my emphasis on the first two tracks to highlight any kind of inconsistency with the album–to delve into each individual merit earned by the work would become far too complex, for almost every aspect of the album is a high note. The important thing to know about this work, is that while it is defined by song names and order, EONS is an open book of imagination. Each piece eloquently moving in and out from one another, my experience with it is one that is not so easily defined. This is a piece of work that is surely felt.
SCORE: 9/10
Review written by Drew Caruso – (Follow him on Twitter)
