MOONLIT SAILOR isn't reinventing the post-rock genre on their sophomore full-length SO CLOSE TO LIFE...they are well on their way to perfecting it. This Swedish outfit laces cinematic, rise-and-ripple moments with unpredictable hooks and catchy melodies that effectively hold your hand through the peaks and valleys of emotional connection within their songs. These young lasses know exactly how to snare a listener with layers and mood...slowly, effortlessly, quietly (well, not always quietly) reeling you in. An instrumentally solid, exploratory and dynamically varied album with intense depth, So Close To Life is filled with highly spiritual and epic moments. "The theme or feeling behind this record is life experiences. The true beauty of music without words is that it can mean something different to each one of us...it's so close to life...it's about substance above all else. Each song title was determined based on what the song reminds the band of (for example, this reminds us of...Hope, this reminds us of...Fresh Snow, etc.)" says bass guitarist Markus Rundl. "We were very fortunate to have fantastic artist Alexander Jansson design our cover. We wanted people to feel the music by just looking at the cover, and it achieves just that...it makes one curious and conjures thought. Every song title is represented in some way in the artwork. For example, the anchor refers to the song Hope and the aeroplane refers to Landvetter (an airport near Gothenburg)" adds Rundl. You can't judge a book (album) by its cover, but you can when the band is MOONLIT SAILOR. For those yearning for a post-rock masterpiece, this is essential listening. This album is that good. It gives you hope.

Caspian is an American post-rock band from Beverly, Massachusetts, United States.

Post-rock band God Is An Astronaut's third album on their own Revive Records. Don't you love it when your most anticipated release of the year lives up to your expectations. Undeniably my favorite band at the moment has pulled off a stellar release that shows a maturing in their sound. That band is God is an Astronaut. This albums is nine tracks of perfection and will most certainly be a contender for my Top 10 picks of year unless something completely miraculous happens. Their sound is undeniable, but on Far From Refuge, they have taking that sound to a new emotive level. The compositions are intricate and well thought out with moments that explode into quietness. Torsten, Neil and Lloyd are a force to be reckoned with as their brand of post-rock screams into your speakers. --Somewherecold.com