Rothko

Though Rothko's press sheet claims them to be "post-rockers," A Continual Search For Origins sounds more like a new age soundtrack for a sleepy nature documentary than a foray into experimental indie rock. You can almost picture the long desert shot, slowly moving in to frame a fox or a snake in the camera lens. That description may sound appealing to fans of ethereal soundscapes and dark aural imagery but Mark Beazley's over-indulgent interest in pillowy soft noise and long near-silences makes maintaining attention extremely taxing, even for the most drone-oriented listener. Origins isn't without its strong points (the latter part of "I Sense You Fading Away" comes to mind) but the patience one has to have to get there just might not be worth it. If you do a lot of hallucinogens or are suffering from insomnia, put this record on. It'll probably do the trick.