There are certain bands that waste no time making an impact. A Place for Owls is yet another Denver band that has made its way on my radar, and it’s clear there’s something special in this scene and its ability to birth lyrically-tantalizing and melodically-intricate indie acts. It’s easy to draw comparisons to their local compatriots Instant Empire or perhaps even Silver & Gold in some ways, but APFO definitely captures the nostalgia of bands like Taking Back Sunday and Jimmy Eat World and embellishes it in a certain artful way. And while their intro track might tease you into thinking they’re a chiptune band, you’ll quickly find something far more organic and sobering.
The album proves that good things come in threes. After “Press Start”, “Book”, “Dissolver”, and “Do I Feel at Home Here?” serve as a string of highlight tracks that show everything from the band’s softer side with piano bits and their penchant for intense backing vocals. “Say What You Are” slows things down a hair and breaks the combo a bit, though it’s not a bad song.
The lyrics are incredibly specific: “You’re just white trash sleeping in your car,” goes “I Can’t Write It Down”. These are vivid pictures of the post-modern struggle to find purpose, worth, and meaning. But the band isn’t simply dour. There are traces of holding onto hope and love. “Deliberate Practice” is a weird collage of folk-punk, modern worship, and emo that has an interesting, commercial rhythmic pulse. Along with its triumphant sonic textures, it also presents a scene of connection and victory through its lyrics.
In terms of rhythmic sensibility, drums and bass are a highlight on the record. “Something Is Not Right” is a prime example of this – it’s peppered with thick bass tones, and the drums changeups keep the energy high and unpredictable. The ending is particular powerful as well.
“Where Do You Want to Go?” is probably my favorite of the tracks. It shows the best of the band’s melodic capacities and features extended instrumental segments. Even though it’s shy of five minutes, it feels far more expansive. There’s a good mix of instrumentation here, and the vocals are pretty emotional as well.
“Smoke Monster” is yet another folk-flavored track, this time even with a bit of banjo in the mix. It’s unexpected but fully welcome. Just as surprising is the big close of the song which fills out the track quite a bit with more of the band.
The band shirks the nihilistic angle that is pervasive in modern emo, and these songs shine with hints of transcendence and meaning. They’re not shy to confess the struggle, but in the end there’s a narrative of hope woven clearly here from front to back. This alone would be compelling, but the instrumental arrangements and solid production help round things out. A Place for Owls is a dynamic sort of band that seems to borrow from seemingly-disparate sounds of early 00s emo, stomp-and-holler folk, and the artsy sound of bands like Moving Mountains and The Appleseed Cast. I might be late to the party on this release, but you won’t want to sleep on this album if you’re a fan of Manchester Orchestra, Jimmy Eat World, Caracara, Straylight Run, or many classic Triple Crown bands.
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