This Will Destroy You - Tunnel Blanket
Tunnel Blanket by This Will Destroy You can only be summed up in one word: Non-descript.
What did I just listen to? It’s not too often I spend an hour trying to engross myself in a record and walk away from it feeling completely blank and scratching my head about what I’d just put myself through. Tunnel Blanket by This Will Destroy You can only be summed up in one word: Non-descript. Tunnel Blanket will neither destroy you nor reinvigorate you, it will only leave you frustrated that such a talented band could produce such a bland piece of work.
It shouldn’t have been this way. TWDY have long since been regarded as heavyweights of the post-rock genre with one superb debut record, Young Mountain, and a worthy self titled follow up. What made those records so good was the scope and emotional depth that was harvested from atmospheric and morose guitars that were spliced with ambience and distortion.
The problem with Tunnel Blanket is that the balance between guitar and ambience, instrument and distortion has been lost. The songs on Tunnel Blanket are completely drowned out by distortion and feedback so that each track bleeds into the next and nothing stands out. Do you remember those special moments when you’re listening to a record and suddenly something happens that makes you snap to attention and listen closer? It might be a crunching riff or a sweet melody or powerful lyric. Those moments are rare things and hard to describe but you know always know it when it happens. Sadly you will not find any of those moments on Tunnel Blanket as each track is smothered by a constant droning that offers no relief. It’s almost impossible to pick a stand out track, such is the numbing monotony. “Black Dunes” is probably the best track that manages to break away from the droning and actually engage the listener but it’s far from a strong field.
What’s even more frustrating is that if you listen closely on some tracks you can almost hear the guitars and drums that show great promise but just as they threaten to break through the cloud of droning noise, a fresh storm of feedback is unleashed to bury the music lurking beneath the surface.
Such was my disappointment with Tunnel Blanket that I actually went back listened to Young Mountain and the self-titled just to make sure that This Will Destroy You was actually a good band and that I hadn’t been deluding myself. Thankfully Young Mountain remains a stellar record from start to finish while in hindsight their self-titled is also a strong record but contains more of the ambience that would ruin Tunnel Blanket.
No doubt hardcore fans will latch on to Tunnel Blanket and glorify it as an esoteric masterpiece but don’t be fooled. Unless you’re a trend seeking hipster that needs “underground” tunes to show off to your un-hip pals in order to validate your own existence, then this record isn’t for you. If you’re new to the post-rock genre and want to dip your toes in the water then Tunnel Blanket definitely isn’t for you, instead turn your attention to Young Mountain; you will find it infinitely more rewarding.
Only time will tell what Tunnel Blanket signifies for the future direction of This Will Destroy You. They’re far too talented a group of musicians to produce another record of interminable and dull music, yet if they continue to pursue such a droning, monotonous sound they will quickly lose all relevance and we’ll be left to ask what could have been.
(Suicide Squeeze Records)