Pink Silence

After a taste of success, many bands simplify their music to make it more widely appealing, but not Cloth. Paul and Rachael Swintons second album, Secret Measure, brought more attention to their softly stunning combination of minimalist sounds and maximalist emotion. On Pink Silence, theyre even more hushed and complex. Named for the half-lit introspection of sunrises and sunsets, the album demands listeners pay full attention to the tiny shifts within the spacious arrangements, and how Rachael Swintons understated vocals breathe warmth and life into them. The economy of Cloths songs is still a wonder. With just a few elements, they create a fully realized story and mood on songs such as "Stuck," where Swinton is submerged by echoing guitars -- and by echoes of the past. Even the strings that appear throughout Pink Silence never feel overdone, but add a graceful glow to "The Cottage," one of many times when Cloth expresses the sad and sexy in the same breath. Their brilliance at mapping the grey areas of the heart continues with "I Dont Think So," which confronts inevitable heartache with a mix of empathy, strength, intimacy, and distance that makes it unique within the realm of breakup songs. Similarly, "Golden" captures the rarely expressed feeling of wanting to want someone more than actually longing for them, and on "Write It Down," Cloth pairs real yearning with a wry sense of humor ("If theres something I want to forget/Then Ill write it down"). The duo brings nearly as much nuance to Pink Silences sounds. The crisp, hooky pop of Secret Measure returns on "Polaroid," a perfect example of how Cloth never sacrifices emotional depth for catchiness. When they add more edges and shadows with the gut-sinking bass drop on the title track or the tightly wound guitars on "Its a Lot," it brings a spark to their music that they should explore more. For those willing to listen closely, Pink Silence is a welcome companion for the loneliest times. ~ Heather Phares

After a taste of success, many bands simplify their music to make it more widely appealing, but not Cloth. Paul and Rachael Swintons second album, Secret Measure, brought more attention to their softly stunning combination of minimalist sounds and maximalist emotion. On Pink Silence, theyre even more hushed and complex. Named for the half-lit introspection of sunrises and sunsets, the album demands listeners pay full attention to the tiny shifts within the spacious arrangements, and how Rachael Swintons understated vocals breathe warmth and life into them. The economy of Cloths songs is still a wonder. With just a few elements, they create a fully realized story and mood on songs such as "Stuck," where Swinton is submerged by echoing guitars -- and by echoes of the past. Even the strings that appear throughout Pink Silence never feel overdone, but add a graceful glow to "The Cottage," one of many times when Cloth expresses the sad and sexy in the same breath. Their brilliance at mapping the grey areas of the heart continues with "I Dont Think So," which confronts inevitable heartache with a mix of empathy, strength, intimacy, and distance that makes it unique within the realm of breakup songs. Similarly, "Golden" captures the rarely expressed feeling of wanting to want someone more than actually longing for them, and on "Write It Down," Cloth pairs real yearning with a wry sense of humor ("If theres something I want to forget/Then Ill write it down"). The duo brings nearly as much nuance to Pink Silences sounds. The crisp, hooky pop of Secret Measure returns on "Polaroid," a perfect example of how Cloth never sacrifices emotional depth for catchiness. When they add more edges and shadows with the gut-sinking bass drop on the title track or the tightly wound guitars on "Its a Lot," it brings a spark to their music that they should explore more. While moments like these are natural attention-getters, much of the album is so delicate that it threatens to breeze by less-patient listeners. For those willing to listen closely, Pink Silence is a welcome companion for the loneliest times. ~ Heather Phares