Mimicking Birds, "Eons"

Mimicking Birds is a band that I discovered a few years ago through their connection with Modest Mouse's Isaac Brock. Being a fan of Modest Mouse, I tend to keep up with artists that Brock signs to his label Glacial Pace. Immediately, Mimicking Birds stood out to me for having a sound of their own. The folky, droning psychedelic acoustic looping guitar parts with the gentle yet cynical vocals and lyricism of Nate Lacey makes for what I could best describe as "doom-folk". While many of the songs on their first album Mimicking Birds were very compelling, the pessimism and "droning" quality of the music began to sound a bit repetitive as the album progressed. I was pleasantly surprised when I first heard the lead single from Eons, called "Bloodlines",  over the summer. It is refreshingly different from the songs on their debut. For one, it's happy. "Bloodlines" is just as emotive as many of the brooding songs on their first album, but it actually makes you feel good. Another major difference evident on this track is the addition of delay-drenched electric guitars and prominent electronic effects. Too often, guitar-oriented bands tend to incorporate electronics in an attempt to refresh their sound, but do so by adding distasteful synth-leads and uninteresting drum-machine beats. But Mimicking Birds uses very subtle synth chords that compliment their new use of delayed guitars. The result is a blend of their original subdued "doom-folk" and a prominent, ethereal post-rock sound that work perfectly together. It's very rare for a band to adopt a new sound yet still sound like themselves, but on Eons, they do just that. Even if the new sonic landscape isn't for you, Lacey's detail-oriented lyrics about the universe and life's intricacies are as strong as ever. And while the single "Bloodlines" shows a new, positive side of the band, there's still plenty of darkness on tracks like "Water Under Burned Bridges" and "Wormholes". Even though this record was released in May, 2014, I did not listen to it front-to-back until very recently. But I am very glad that I did, because Eons may be one of the most underrated releases from the past year.


Stream Eons for free here!