AOTY #20: The Antlers - Familiars

The Antlers are best known for being the band that made a stunning (and kinda depressing) semi-autobiographical album about an abusive relationship told through the story of a relationship between a hospice worker and a terminally ill cancer patient, and for good reason: 2009's Hospice is still greatly appreciated today, and continues to cast a mighty shadow on The Antlers' later works. But, like the failed relationship that brought the band success, it's time to move on

While The Antlers may be known for Hospice, their other records are definitely no slouches, and they continue their hot streak with Familiars, the project's fifth LP. Familiars is both sonically and lyrically cohesive, featuring a treatise on overcoming one's past self set to some gorgeous music. Familiars keeps The Antlers' deeply introspective, emotive lyrics intact, but whip out a new secret weapon in Darby Cicci's trumpet, which brings each tune to a new level of intricacy and intimacy

The Antlers tried the whole verse-chorus thing with 2011's Burst Apart and, while it worked for them then, everything seems to work for these guys. Familiars is not the easiest record to get into; while it can be daunting to give a record—especially one that clocks in at close to an hour—multiple spins with the hope that you'll eventually understand the hype, the payoff is absolutely worth it. While it can initially come off as languid, once you find the slow-burning beauty in the album, you'll notice the tracks' "Play Count" dramatically start to rise as you delve deeper and deeper into the haunting, orchestral layers

You will hate who you are
’Til you overthrow who you've beenAs evidenced from that excerpt from "Director", self-acceptance is the theme of the album, and it permeates every single track. And while discussing one topic for 53 minutes could potentially be too much, Silberman's lyrics are intelligently metaphorical. Not so much that they obfuscate the content, but enough to weave a variety of images, and give each song a distinct lyrical focus. Take, for example, this passage from album opener "Palace":

If we can carpenter a home in our heart right now
And carve a palace from withinThe label "cohesive record" can tend to be code for "all the songs blend together," but The Antlers manage to give each song a sonic identity while rearranging the same instrumental building blocks—Cicci's syrupy trumpets, Michael Lerner's sparse drums, and Silberman's falsetto. The songs are all five minutes or longer, which can be trying to some, but are all completely worth it. Each sonic idea is given the proper space to really take shape; there's no moment on the record that ever feels like it didn't last long enough. Also, the album is distinctly sexy (especially thanks to the trumpets and falsetto, but it all kinda works toward it). Just listen to a track like "Hotel": doesn't it make you just want to call up your nearest lover and get it on?

Familiars is an exercise in patience: for those who wait and listen, they're rewarded with an introspective trip set to a gorgeous soundtrack. It may sound nothing like anything The Antlers have made before, and will likely sound nothing like anything they'll make in the years to come, but it sounds great, no matter if you're listening intently to the music or lyrics, or casually as you and your lover get it on with this record playing in the background

- Alt-Weakling

Come back tomorrow for album #19 and follow along with the list here!