For about the past 2 weeks, I've not been able to get the music of Pelican out of my head. I've been a fan since 2007, just before the release of their third full-length, City of Echoes, but I'm feeling this music more than ever lately. There's something special going on here - something that makes this music stand out above nearly all of the other music to which I listen. Of course, when it comes to it, great art is great due to some kind of je ne sais quoi, but there are certainly a few things I think I can put my finger on.
From minute one, the guitar work is interesting but accessible. Tempos vary from the very slow to the medium, and always the guitar sounds are in service to the song. The tones and textures harmonize perfectly and never do we hear indulgent guitar wankery. This is EXACTLY how I want my guitar: big, beautiful chords; rich, smooth distortion; cooperative layers of melody played with obvious passion. This facet alone makes Pelican's music a joy to listen to.
The instrumental aspect of this band is a big deal in a rock context. So much rock n roll - especially from the metal scenes which spawned Pelican - is focused on an expressive lead singer that we don't often get to hear well-developed compositions. Although their sound has consistent elements (see the paragraph above), they never resort to formulas or rehashing of old material. Therefore the Pelican discography is full of fresh riffs and rhythms, with little intricacies and musical relationships left for the listener to discover over time.
Finally, I think the thing that really makes my heart beat fast about this band is that they're getting better. While the first, untitled EP from 2001 is wonderful and quite listenable, their latest work on 2009's What We All Come To Need is easily my favorite stuff they've ever done, and the songs from their upcoming album, Forever Becoming are some of the best they've ever written. In interviews, the band talks about the way that touring has influenced their composition and performance style, and the payoff there is that this music is becoming ever more focused and expertly constructed.
For those frustrated with the state of contemporary rock, this is where we need to turn. Pelican uses their colorful, delicious style to explore big concepts related to both the urban and the natural world, but this ambition comes with no pretention. This is rock n roll for the pure loud joy of it, and I trust that joy to keep me coming back for more.
