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Late Night Listening: Below the Sea - Blame it on the Past
I must be getting old because more and more I find myself enjoying down tempo music, like Doveman or Amandine, over fast paced rock. Of course some moments are made for music that kicks, but I do most of my focused music listening between the hours of 11 PM and 1 AM. It's when the street outside my door is swelling with nightlife that I like to withdraw into a less hectic world. Lately my choice for transportation has been Below the Sea's opulent new instrumental album Blame it on the Past.
Blame it on the Past is this Montreal trio's third record since 2001. It features contributions from Mathieu Gris of destroyalldreamers and ambient maestro Ulrich Schnauss. Schnauss guests on the album's fourth track "Stroll Down Memory Lane"; his signature waves of verdant melodies add depth to Below The Sea's straightforward, beautiful ambient rock. Elsewhere pianos and subtle programmed effects (I particularly like the clapping interlude on "Polaroids") enrich Patrick Lacharite's guitar playing and Pascal Asselin's muted drumming.
Blame it on the Past will be released October 25 on Where Are My Records. The band will tour Canada in November, with possible U.S. dates to follow. Finally, read Ian Mathers's review of Blame it on the Past on Stylus.