First, the immediate sound of two ominous, echoing piano chords. As soon as the tension is set, a quick drum fill launches the listener into a pulsing, moving, breathing indie rock soundscape. Within the first 2 minutes of Waltzed in From the Rumbling, the listener already knows that they are about to be taken on a wild ride that will hit a thousand moods along the way. “We Were One” is Plants and Animals’ way of saying, “you’re coming with us, so buckle up.”

It’s been a little while since Plants and Animals released the relatively stripped-down The End of That, and the release of WIFTR was a greatly anticipated event. While I certainly enjoyed The End of That, I was hoping that a new record would return to their older style of lush production with thoughtful instrumentation reinforcing superb song-craft and the talented playing of the Plants and Animals trio. WIFTR is exactly what I had hoped for, but this band has yet again managed to morph into something I could never have imagined. You could say that the record has some of the texture of Parc Avenue mixed with the tone and cohesiveness of La La Land, but that still only scratches the surface of WIFTR.

Waltzed in From the Rumbling is an album full of spontaneous twists and turns that are unexpected yet fit perfectly into the ensemble. It’s a little bit baffling to think that these musicians would write an exquisite musical theme only to abandon it after thirty seconds. It would be disappointing if they didn’t have something just as great if not greater coming up. Many of the passages that will catch your ear are fleeting, and while you won’t be able to dwell on one particular phrase for too long, this characteristic of WIFTR makes it continually engaging. You’ll just have to listen back time after time to catch those moments again.

To say anything more would be to spoil the record, so go find a copy of Waltzed in From the Rumbling and try it for yourself. I cannot recommend Plants and Animals enough.

Much Love,

~Dave