Concept: It is not confirmed yet whether the story comes from experience…a man reminiscing on his life while sitting beside a child dying of bone cancer in the MSKCC.
Sound: It really depends. You aren’t listening to antlers as much as streamers. Long, quiet, and often dull passages are tethered to immense emotional weight, flowing and cutting in its wake. Whammy effects put forward a music box discontent, and songs develop very slowly if at all. This becomes tedious at many points, but regarding the album in its entirety the slow burn is put to excellent use as it gradually stops hiding from the listener.
Lyrics: While the writing on the album is lyrically quite mediocre, a few well chosen details gather as time goes by, and in closing the melodies perfectly match the emotions of the subject matter. It is no fault that the material takes so long to collect itself, as that all the more evokes the resulting naked terror and regret. The last two tracks could draw tears from a stone.
Quick And Dirty: Its staying power is debatable, lacking subtlety or songcraft, but the excruciating sensitivity displayed makes an indelible impression. (♦♦♦♦)