Album Details

• Artist: The Drift
• Album: Blue Hour
• Label: Temporary Residence
• Year of Release: 2011
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: patchen on 2011-10-29

The latest from The Drift is both poignant and achingly uplifting. "Blue Hour" is not only a tribute to band member Jeff Jacobs, who passed away from cancer a few years ago, but an affirmation of both life and life after death. These emotions may seem to be a tall order for an instrumental band to explore, but The Drift do so with grace, power and compassion.

The martial "Dark Passage," with its tight drums and soaring minimal guitar, announces the journey to come. Celestial sounds from both guitar and organ propel "Bardo I," "Bardo II" and "Horizon" as gentle but not maudlin eulogies. The feel is that death is only a momentary step between adventures. The ambient drone of "Continuum" and "Hello From Everywhere" deepen that sentiment. The key tracks, though, are both over twelve minutes, yet leave no wasted or untapped sounds and silences. "This Skull Hand Smiles/May You Fare Well" and "Fountain" are gorgeous, slowly accumulating songs that draw together a lot of quiet but hopeful rhythms to them, creating a space for tribute, mourning and gratitude at once. If it seems like I'm going overboard, take a listen for yourself.

A mature and hypnotizing record, "Blue Hour" is heavy without being depressing, bright without being maudlin. The Drift have created intricate, soaring music that is as perfect a tribute to a friend and to the life and death we all juggle and will experience. The Drift have given us a nice soundtrack for any funeral....or birthday.

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