::Tin Tin:: "::Tin Tin::"

Imagine this:

You're in an abandoned building, late at night, somewhere around the midnight hour. All of a sudden, the lights go off, and you're in the dark. Though you know there's probably no reason to worry, you're still a little bit scared. All of a sudden, you feel something coming towards you, you feel surrounded, you no longer feel alone. There's something breathing down your neck, about to pounce. You start to run from this creature that you've not seen, but you know that you've got to run because this monster is big, bad, and it's gonna kill you if you don't run.

For this dream scene, ::Tin Tin:: provides the soundtrack.

::Tin Tin:: is this young band's debut record, and it's very beautiful, cinematic record. True, there are tons of bands out there making layered, epic post-rock music. Though the album isn't always this monotonous, it does follow a common formula for epic post-rock: quiet, calming sounds for a few minutes, loud, in-your-face guitars for a minute or two, a sudden calm that's broken by vocals, some brief loudness again, followed by a calm that leads immediatly into the next song. Considering that they have eight songs and the album's sixty-three minutes long, they're averaging seven minutes a song.

Sure, it can be a bit tedious to listen to, but ::Tin Tin:: is still a beautiful record to listen to. Songs like "Science Generals" and "Alternate" are beautiful and brooding, while "The Red" and "Reeling From" are pulsating, driving rock. The only problem is listener interest; ::Tin Tin:: can be a bit much of a listen, and if you were to get bored by the third or fourth song, you wouldn't be alone. No matter how beautiful your music, one eight minute epic after another is overdoing it, and some of the more subtle moments--such as the lovely singing--are overwhelmed by the sheer bulk of the music.

True, ::Tin Tin::'s sound isn't necessarily the most original, but there's something to be said about delicate music, and this Colorado trio have a grasp on how to make pretty music. Throw in the fact that they've hired ace producer Keith Cleversley (Hum, Flaming Lips) and you've got the ingredients for a great record. Even though this isn't a bad record, If they edit down their future work a little bit, they will make a much stronger, more cohesive album.

--Joseph Kyle