Surprisingly, The Antlers have a pep in their step this time around after their silent hiatus. Green to Gold finds The Antlers in a new light, all while successfully capturing the warmth, freedom, and love of Summer days with grace and positivity.
The Antlers, who formed in the mid 2000's, are among the many indie rock bands from Brooklyn, NY who catapulted into critical acclaim thanks to the huge explosion of indie during the time. From records like Hospice and Burst Apart, the group created saddened indie rock with dramatic falsetto vocals and heartbreaking lyricism from Peter Silberman. As a huge fan of the mid to late 2000's indie Brooklyn scene (TV On the Radio, Dirty Projectors, Grizzly Bear, Yeasayer), I was surprisingly not really aware of The Antlers' music. I know, shame on me, because I feel like I would've loved The Antlers during the time I hung onto every single note from Grizzly Bear's Veckatimest. I was aware of a single here and there, like "I Don't Want Love" for example, and I really thought the group had this sad, dramatic, sparse instrumentation locked down. Alas, I never checked out an Antlers record... until now! After The Antlers' hiatus from 2015-2019, the newly refined duo went out to write and record new material.
This new material, I gotta say, is quite different from the band's previous work. Green to Gold, the band's sixth studio album, still has quiet, sparse instrumentation of acoustics, piano, and Silberman's signature falsetto that you've come to expect. But the overall sound, themes, and pacing is very relaxed, sunny, bright, and happy. To call an Antlers record "happy" in 2021 may be a huge shocker, but it's 100% true in my opinion. The acoustic guitar, folkier and breezier instrumentation is quite blissful, just like a sunny Summer morning out on the front porch sipping your iced macchiato (you know the one). Heck, just take the album cover, title, and track listing (I mean, Strawflower?) and you'll for sure get vibes of straw hats, morning walks in the park, relaxing in hammocks, or even reading a good book under your local oak tree. I swear I got those vibes even before hearing a single note of this record and once I heard the music, it's even more noticeable. I would even say this album is romanticizing the season of Summer itself. I am in love with the overall sunny, warm vibes of this record. I love Spring and Summer themed music; relaxing indie rock is my thing if you know me one bit (Real Estate, anyone?). So, Green to Gold is exactly that: a very freeing, relaxed indie rock album featuring folk and pop elements over some breezy, soft, lush backing music. Can i call it "indie nap music?" Is this a thing? Not to be insulting at all, because I love the essence and relaxed moods that The Antlers are aiming for here.
All these vibes aside, the songs on Green to Gold are really pleasant and enjoyable to hear. There's a galloping pace on "Just One Sec" that's so peppy and happy, while the gentle horns on "It Is What It Is" is quite graceful and is a charming addition to the album. The tracks that open ("Strawflower") and close ("Equinox") the album are great instrumentals that are as swaying as the Summer breeze. Some of these tracks do venture out into longer territory but the majority really do work out its length. "Volunteer" comes close to overstaying its welcome at six minutes, but its gradual progression is a nice touch. "Wheels Roll Home" and "Solstice" are two songs that almost act like sweet lullabies full of love. "Stubborn Man," one of my favorites here, has a great progression to it and has some lovely piano-based playing. "Porchlight" is pure sunshine bliss with arguably the best guitar chords and vocals on the record. The title track might be my favorite not just because of the sharp guitar melodies, but the lyrics. The first lines of lyrics of this track alone really set what you're going to be finding on the record: "So, Summer's on the outs, cicadas swim around the house, crickets clicking down the block, we are on an early morning walk." Also, I do love how Silberman recites these lyrics of the changing seasons and how quick they seem to be transitioning too, really relating to how fast time goes by. The transitions in between tracks are great as well, often adding field recordings of nature. You can hear the crickets chirp, cicadas buzz, and the Summer wind gust directly through your headphones, as if you're outside on a hot Summer day.
What's charming about Green to Gold are really the sunny, charismatic warm themes of falling in love with the Summer season. These themes of love, happiness, and bright nature are in contrast with the band's typical heartbreak and cold lyricism on their other records. It shows The Antlers in a new light; they really seem to embrace happiness, gracefulness, and a relaxed viewpoint to be appreciative of the nature and seasons around you. On the other hand, the songs themselves are great and together really provide a naturally organic listening experience. Although there is a subtle lack of variation that keeps this album from being even better, it is in fact a very enjoyable and fun listen. The Antlers are fun and have a pep in their step this time around and Green to Gold successfully captures the warmth, freedom, and love of those Summer days.
My Rating: 7 / 10
Favorite Songs: "Green to Gold," "Stubborn Man," "Wheels Roll Home," "Strawflower"
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