Murfreesboro’s own Genie, Child of God (formerly known as HANDS) is back with their self-produced five-track EP basements, which combines powerful guitar riffs, acute anxiety and overzealous song titles to create an album post-rock fans will enjoy.
“Things That Are Uncomfortable to Listen To” opens the album innocuously enough with low-key instrumentation that surfaces just long enough to be devastated by aggressive cymbal crashes and faintly distorted guitars. As the title suggests, things do eventually become uncomfortable around the six-minute mark, when a feeling of tension threaten to overtake you. The track eventually tapers off to a tapping noise, an effect used throughout the EP to generate anticipation.
Similar to most albums of the same genre, each track is basically structured the same—a slow, steady build-up, heavy guitar/drum riff, followed by a three-minute cool-down. Arrangements are introduced only to be dismantled, as though each section is vying for the listener’s attention. Thankfully, the haunting guitar riffs on basements are elaborated and prolonged to create a feeling of suspense, giving each track the variety it needs to stand out from the others.
The piano is also featured on a couple of the tracks, including “the-exploded-people” and “When We Lose the Use of Our Feet We Will Walk on Our Hands.” For a few brief moments, keyboards prevail before becoming masked again by forceful drumming and delayed guitar strumming.
While fans of this particular style will appreciate the duration of the tracks, the average listener may grow tired of the repetitive structure. Half of the song is a blissful meditation while the rest is an agonizing headache. But, hey, that’s post-rock.
For more information on the band, visit geniechildofgod.bandcamp.com.