The music of Constant Follower is defiantly thoughtful. In an era where things are designed for folks with short attention spans, and no one really knows how to listen anymore, this trio's material seems practically old fashioned. Languid at times, and full of moments of quiet progression, the songs on The Smile You Send Out Returns To You are, like those on earlier records from this band, ones which deserve an attentive listen. The rewards then are many here.
The title cut stretches out on the back of a slide guitar figure, with the deliberation of the pace a choice that makes this tune rather soothing. The excellent "Almost Time to Go" will likely earn comparisons to early Bon Iver tracks, but there's something here that is also intimate, and which places this in the same neighborhood of sound as that of the group's fellow countrymen in Arab Strap. Sonically, it's quite different, but in approach, and in the use of a kind of hushed immediacy, there's something almost inexplicably similar going on here.
The highlight of The Smile You Send Out Returns To You for me is "All is Well", an absolutely gorgeous number built upon Stephen McAll's warm vocals. The emotions here put me in mind of "Don't Give Up" by Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush, or "Everybody Hurts" by R.E.M., but the lovely backing support from Kathleen Stosch and Amy Campbell gives this a quality more ethereal than the earthy vibe which McAll's vocals provide. The mix of those elements is deftly done, and this stands as a really perfect example of why Constant Follower are worth so much attention. "It's Only Silence", the closer here, is just as good. The stark lines of this and the perfectly pitched chords giving this a rarefied air. There's something proto-classical about this, with really smart production by Dan Duszynski (Loma) here, and in the end, the cut's more The Delgados than Nick Drake. These two selections may just be the best songs Constant Follower's offered up to date, but I say that knowing they will likely surprise me again with their next record.
The Smile You Send Out Returns To You by Constant Follower is out now. Details below.
[Photo: Kevin Linnett]