Austin Sound

For centuries, man has been looking to the stars for guidance and inspiration. While Austin’s Balmorhea may not need to cross the Atlantic with astrolabe in hand, the five-piece, in their fourth LP release Constellations, uses the heavens and the sea for a muse, crafting out of it a sparse and vast album far different than their previous musical outings. At once bare and beautiful, the band eschews the high-tech cosmos stereotypes of ‘space music,’ and opts instead for a more human, analog sound, capturing the essence of the cold void with the warm sounds of wood and sinew.

Dusting off the telescope lens, the first offering, “To the Order of Night,” is a slow and empty start. Gentle piano keys are left to ring out, alone, as ambient wood scratching noises of Travis Chapman’s upright bass creak and flutter like a film reel left spinning too long.

Because Balmorhea apparently can’t bear to let a year go by without their name being on a top ten list, the local (mostly) instrumental quintet is releasing another album next month. Local-imprint Western Vinyl will once again do the labeling, and Balmorhea’s continued onslaught of releases must mean the label is doing pretty well, which is great, because they’re certainly one of the best in town. But seriously Balmorhea, you have got to slow this ship down - you’re making all the other bands in town look bad. Plus people are going to start thinking this is way too easy for y’all! Balmorhea’s release show for the album, called Constellations, will be at the Central Presbyterian Church on February 19 along with Damien Jurado, but we’re more interested in the show they’re playing later in the month in Ohio with Mark McGuire. What?! Is the slugger changing the spelling of his name and forging a new career in ‘roid rock? Awesome! We guess the standards for getting into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame are more lax than Cooperstown. Balmorhea will also be heading out on a North American tour with the great Danes, Efterklang. Anyway, you download the new tune “Bowsprit” below, which we recommend over going to the band’s website, which seems aimed at inducing maximum motion sickness.