Review: Besnard Lakes - Are the Roaring Night (* * * *)

At first and even second glance, Besnard Lakes’ third effort, The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night, seems strikingly similar to their acclaimed sophomore one, The Besnard Lakes Are the Dark Horses. Obviously, the title structures are quite comparable, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg: the lengths of the respective albums are within a minute of each other; the 'wall of sound' stylistic approBach is much the same on both; and the songs on each record ebb and flow with a constantly dynamic intensity. Initially, these parallels seem to result from a lack of imagination, but those familiar with the duo must assume these consistencies to be fully intentional and in the best interest of the album and the listener. For the most part, this holds true on Roaring Night, with the record’s subtle differences somehow shining brighter amid the sameness, and the band showing clear growth in their atmospheric indie-rock approach. Even when the new album occasionally does feel a little too familiar, the strengths of their unique method make such a criticisms slight at best.(Read the rest @ In Review Online)