Toronto based Dinosaur Bones released their first full length album, My Divider on March 8th. Reasonably subtle, it presents itself without a whole lot of pushiness and allows the listener to take their time sifting through and discovering its fullness and vast idiosyncrasies at leisurely pace.
It is full of excellent guitar and keyboard layering and fades throughout that seem to float the listener in the same style of the early works of Radiohead and The Verve. Though it does ride a bit on the whole melancholy/shoe-gaze thing, tracks like “Hunters” with its abrupt tempo changes, deteriorations, and complexities, and “Royalty,” riding along on good, old fashion driving guitar and bass rhythms, keeps the album anchored.
Ben Fox is confidently lackadaisical and almost romantic with his vocal delivery, but really stands up and speaks to the listener on “Bombs In the Night” and “Point of Pride.” Drummer Lucas Fredette provides a solid backbone for each songs sonic meanderings, and his tight, technical prowess is a consistently notable highlight from start to finish.
“Life In Trees,” jumps back and forth between urgent, compressing drum and keyboard lines and low-key waves of guitar reverb, while “Ice Hotels” presents itself as the album’s slow massage of well thought out composition.
There are ignorant reasons to dismiss this album up a first listen. It’s just one of those records that upon a third or fourth listen, a fuller interpretation of its components sync together and garner respect. The Bones have great potential and are growing in front of the eyes and ears of their listeners.
