Ultrasound
Hamesh
Another Autonomy
Ultrasound reminds me of all of the mistakes I’ve made. It’s not their fault; I’m just sensitive when it comes to things like this. Their music may strike some as overtly melancholy, but that violin makes me think of calms after storms, bad situations later laughed at, and calamities near missed.
While emotionally delicate and achingly personal, Ultrasound fit among bands like The Pilot Ships, Windsor for the Derby, and The Dirty Three in their less syrupy moments. Ultrasound (in this incarnation) really benefits from guitarist Kirk Laktas of Stars of the Lid. He brings the pacing to a near standstill, with the instrumental tracks far outnumbering those with vocals. The band will occasionally incorporate field recordings, but the album always maintains this sad, nostalgic tone. While they certainly cast a certain spell, I’m going to wait for the temperature to drop before I slip this CD in. One can only spend so much time remembering things that may have been “good for you” but, honestly speaking, you’d have rather not gone through with.
