A Thousand Years in Another Way

While each of Activitys albums could rightfully be called spellbinding, A Thousand Years in Another Way takes that description to another level. After paring back their detailed atmospheres on Spirit in the Room, the band and longtime producer Jeff Berner bring them back with an eerie vengeance, resulting in some of their most transporting music. The murmuring, rustling, and shimmering sounds woven into A Thousand Years songs reach seance-like levels of spookiness on "We Go Where Were Not Wanted," one of many times Activity challenge themselves to explore the darkest, strangest corners of their music. Even as they do so, they dont sacrifice any of the songcraft they developed on Spirit in the Room. "Heavy Breathing"s lush drama makes for one of their catchiest songs to date; along with the ghostly sparkle of "A Piece of Mirror," its not so much dream pop as pop that sounds like it was fashioned out of actual dreams. Travis Johnson, Jess Rees, and Bri DiGioias shared songwriting and lead vocal duties add more hypnotic facets -- and influences -- to the album. On the taut opening track, "In Another Way," Activity find the common ground between Sonic Youth, Smashing Pumpkins, and Dick Dale; "Your Dream" rivals Blonde Redhead in its enigmatic elegance; and on "Her Alphabet," Portisheads stark mystique remains a potent source of inspiration. Despite the albums shifting sounds, Activity unite their music with an intimate understanding of lifes traumas that lurks just beneath the surface of "Scissors" surreal electro-rock and comes to the fore on the towering finale, "The Beast." The band pair this unwavering mood with growing confidence, and hearing them create a sound world full of beauty and menace on A Thousand Years in Another Way is a truly rewarding experience. ~ Heather Phares