Crushed Stars - Convalescing in Braille (2010)

Crushed Stars leader Todd Gautreau sees with night vision. His songs are hushed and romantic, made to be heard in the early hours of morning when staying conscious is the only fight the body has left. The reverb's thick and the tempos are a crawl, with remnants of The Church, Red House Painters, Low, and other nocturnal groups giving Gautreau's music a context if not actual influences. Restraint is key, and any aggression has been tempered with the will to lay back and let things happen. Gautreau does so without relying on electronics to bring about his muted ambience. "Color Kites" uses pianos, acoustic guitars, and strings to create a sleepy beauty. "Copenhagen" plays like an evening rain gently patting the ground, with bursts of keyboard and guitars adding countermelodies. "Pretty Girls Are Everywhere" tucks a pop melody behind its moody facade. "Window" adds a modest rhythm that sounds like the band attempting to lift off, while "House on the Hill" and "Take Flight" return to the subtle buzz of subliminal writing and recording.

Songs of beautiful melancholy, soft rumination on all things heart-broken and lovely. - The Big Takeover

Relying much on calm guitars and plenty of warm ambience, it’s largely a hypnotic listen, but with plenty of melodies and hooks under dark, ethereal vocals. There’s a tense moodiness matched by sonic beauty that echoes, wanders and settles adjacent to awe inspiring. - New Noise Magazine

The stunning result is enough to make you wish it were night all day long.- Pitchfork

A soothing, celestial sound that makes full use of a hushed vocal, shimmery guitars, an ethereal aesthetic and a near-constant quest for quiet contemplation. For all Crushed Stars’ sonic indulgence, there’s a host of sensual delights to focus in on when it comes to achieving that zen-like gaze. Wishing upon these Stars is wholly encouraged - BLURT