Hospice

Artist: The Antlers
Album: Hospice
Release Year: 2009
Genres: indie rock, art rock
1) Prologue; 2) Kettering; 3) Sylvia; 4) Atrophy; 5) Bear; 6) Thirteen; 7) Two; 8) Shiva; 9) Wake; 10) Epilogue.

Best Song: you know...I don't think individual songs are important on this album. Maybe "Wake," though.

Normally, I would spend most of the review talking about structure and presentation,with some time on lyrics. On Hospice, however, it's all about the lyrics. I mean, the album would still be nice background music without them, but all the songs are pretty similar, and it's obvious that the music really is secondary here. Even though it does tie into the lyrics pretty well, in the end it's just a vehicle for the narrative.

The narrative, I understand, is often deemed absolutely heartbreaking, and I will admit it's not one to shrug off so easily. Briefly, it's about a guy working in hospice who falls in love with a dying woman. She emotionally abuses him (I can understand being a trifle bitter in this situation), but he feels compelled to stick around and open up, to carry a burden he can never lift (pointless). Oh well. Nothing quite as idiotic and destructive as love, huh? Anyway, she dies hating him, and he's all the worse for his trouble.

Yes, it's very sad and all, but I have trouble deciding how convincing it all is. As shameful as I find it, I can certainly sympathize with those who struggle with the ridiculous irony of human emotion. The emotion comes through in the immediate sense--I can certainly see and feel the protagonist crying out in frustration and resigned agony at his inability to turn away from a destructive relationship. Yet I can't help seeing the whole thing as a bid to grab hold of the listener's fragile adolescent emotions and steer them toward adoring the band for all eternity, just because they were able to play upon their heartstrings for an hour. Oh, all you irrational, melodramatic youngsters!

Meh. Maybe I just find it hard to define a position on anything that deals with emotions I have never felt, but since the music rarely strays beyond "pretty," I see little reason to listen to Hospice unless you want to be depressed. That alone makes me suspicious. However, I must admit I really enjoy other "tragic" albums, whose genius lies in their ability to make tragedy beautiful. If the artist does it just right, you find yourself wanting to spin the album, just to get that unearthly feeling: the sadness of the narrative, but the pleasure at hearing something truly special. I have yet to decide whether Hospice manages to do that, or if it's just manufactured angst in disguise. Either way, it's a unique trip, and for that I commend it.

Rating: 7.5