The Baltic Sea
Period Piece
Eric Rock
Click to hear: “The Free Design”
Period Piece is a stunning collection of art rock. To fully appreciate this album, approach it as you would an art exhibit.
The seven tracks here are more like song-scapes than songs. They’re like paintings for your ears. If this was visual art, you’d see washes of muddy color looming behind bold, arching brushstrokes, with angsty scribbles and odd bits of collage in the corners. The work has texture, depth and complexity. Every second has been crafted. The production, by the band itself, is impeccable.
The most astounding work is the first, “The Free Design.” Guitarist and vocalist Todd Hutchisen, the prime mover in this band, works on some big canvases. This one’s over 14 minutes long. It unfurls with a lovely little intro. “Everyday / In every way / Our dreams take shape,” he sings.
Then things get gnarly. An angular, King Crimson-y line bounces around as Hutchisen’s vocals are chopped just beyond comprehension. Guitarist Ray Suhy unleashes a maelstrom. Christ, it must’ve taken hours for Suhy’s features to untwist from the guitar face he made recording that one. A spacey section follows, then an acoustic breeze blows in and carries the piece into the kind of slowcore territory Hutchisen previously explored with Seekonk.
This is The Baltic Sea’s second album. Since the 2008 debut, Through Scenic Heights and Days Regrets, drummer Jason Ingalls has been replaced with Jason Stewart, and a fifth member, Nate Johnson, adds a third guitar and some keyboard and vocals. The changes have thickened the band’s sound, but the aesthetic’s the same: a majestic, ominous music that swells and crashes in slow motion.
Next time you’ve got a yen for fine art, put this album through your headphones. Good art rock beats the Art Walk any day.
— Chris Busby
A double-vinyl version of Period Piece with bonus material is scheduled for release this month. The CD version can be heard and purchased at ericrock.com.
