written by Chris Familton

Band of Horses return with their second album of soaring, americana tinged rock and this time round they’ve continued to write widescreen songs but tempered them with some restraint and less of the grandiose hooks that made songs like Is There A Ghost so compelling on their previous album.

Previously trading somewhere between Kings Of Leon and My Morning Jacket, Ben Bridwell has introduced more of a swing and melancholic contentment to Infinite Arms. Compliments and Laredo set the scene with a softer mood that has been attributed by some to Bridwell becoming a father in recent years. Musically Bridwell has undoubtedly been influenced by the intimate harmonies of Fleet Foxes, particularly the opening voices on Blue Beard, but he maintains the raggedness in the guitars which sets the album aside from his folk contemporaries.

The sound of southern rock is constantly in the background throughout the record. Never overt, it loiters and rises in the music when it needs to. Keyboards and strings are employed to enhance the drama when necessary and they add some classic American pop and country moments that conjure up a rather disturbing image of The Eagles and Beach Boys.

Some of the other members of Band of Horses have, for the first time, also contributed songs and though not as strong as Bridwell’s they do add another angle to the record. Dilly, written by Tyler Ramsay and Bridwell is one of the lighter moments on the album and though it is a nice song it pales in comparison to Infinite Arms’ best moments. Ramsay also contributes Evening Kitchen, an acoustic ballad that nicely echoes those great slow songs that Billy Corgan used to write in the mid 90s.

It is almost a relief when Bridwell songs return late in the piece to reignite a flailing album. The surging NW Apt. breathes life back into proceedings before Neighbor sharpens the focus on Bridwell’s compelling, scene-setting lyrics sung in his J Tillman-like breathy voice before the band kicks in with gusto and an organ carries us to the record’s conclusion.

Infinite Arms doesn’t build off the promise and potential of Cease To Begin. A third of it is as good if not better than that album but the rest is merely satisfactory in comparison. Compliments and Laredo show where Bridwell should be taking his Band of Horses, mixing the magic of his voice with grainy Neil Young guitars and filmic lyrical scenes. Hopefully his compass will be reset for the next record but this one would be more appropriately titled Cease To Progress.

This review first appeared on FasterLouder