Cymbals Eat Guitars – 'Why There Are Mountains' review
Remember when the Strokes debut arrived fully formed, sounding like it just fell out of Julian Casablancas’ head in one natural pouring motion? Well, if you don’t, Why There Are Mountains will remind you of the sensation: so effortless and well-rounded is this record it’s difficult to believe it’s a debut. ‘…And the Hazy Sea’ veers wildly between cataclysmic guitar blowout and Rhodes-driven eye-of-the-storm calm, like a sort of post-rock Pavement, offering an early indication of the quantity of ideas floating around here.
The changes in direction then continue apace, taking in tightly coiled post-punk, shoegaze and horn-driven indie pop all in a refreshingly unforced stride before a tepid and overlong closing number slightly spoils the fun. It’s a minor blip, however: taken as a whole, Why There Are Mountains is a natural-sounding, sophisticated record that seriously repays repeated listening.
9/10
