We vs. Death

Usually a three-song showcase wouldn’t be considered short to the usual post-rock instrumental crowd, as the songs would be drawn out to include at least 45 minutes of music, but here, Utrecht, Netherlands’ We vs. Death keep the songs relatively brief for a perfect 20 minutes of music. Of the three, the middle "Workers Are Referred to As ‘Hands’” sees them fully in control of their dynamics and instruments, including a lonely, confident trumpet. Using the best Slint-like sinister tension their abilities can muster, things briefly break out into a squall of sound, but not enough to define the song. Indeed, things are very Mogwai-like for opener "Pictures from Stellenbosch,” as they float with the best of them and the stop-start feedback bursts add just the right amount of driving energy. It’s very rare to be admonishing a post-rock band for being too short but there’s a distinct feeling like there’s much more story to be told in the songs. Although the songs may be less epic than they should be, in terms of whetting the appetite, Postneoliberal Paradise can’t be beat. It should be very interesting to see what these very able Dutchmen concoct next.