Hammock - Raising Your Voice...Trying to Stop an Echo

Genre Shoegaze, Space Rock, Post Rock
Release Date: 11/20/2006
Sounds Like: Slowdive, Sigur Ros, Explosions in the Sky
Overall Rating: 6.9/10


Summary: Raising Your Voice...Trying to Stop an Echo is the 2nd full length from ambient space rockers, Hammock. Never has there been a band so appropiately named as Hammock, well, except for Slayer, which is probably the perfect antithesis to Hammock. This music would be ideal laying on a Hammock between blustery trees on a cool cloudy day. You would need a sweater to keep warm from the chill and the grey. The album is cool and it is dark with an expression of hope. It is mood music and it is beautiful like a picture of a wind swept snowy landscape. Ok, so enough artistic metaphors! Does it rock? Yes and no. In between the ambient dream segways there is powerful guitar driven splashes that overpower and suffocate slowly. There are strings, piano and ethereal vocals that compliment the tidal wave of guitar.. this is bliss. This is an adventurous album and will probably only appeal to a small audience, but quite frankly, it appeals to me...Cause tonight I am feeling dark and grey. Click here for some tracks from their myspace site.

Ratings Summary:
Originality within Genre: 8.0
Originality by Band: 8.0
Production: 8.5
Did I like it?: 7.5

Track Ratings:

1) 6.1
2) 7.7
3) 6.9
4) 5.0
5) 6.9
6) 5.5
7) NR
8) 7.6
9) 4.9
10) 5.2
11) NR
12) 5.1
13) 7.7
14) 5.9
15) NR
16) 3.1
17) 5.2
18) NR