Coming Out of the Fog

Arbouretum plays heavy folk-rock that hits like a battering ram. Its muscular fifth full-length is driven by thick riffs, crunching bass, and circular guitar solos bristling with deep and gritty tones. There isn’t a weak track on Coming Out of the Fog. The album is unified and deliberately paced, enriched by literate and evocative lyrics. The pounding tracks “The Promise,” “Renouncer,” and “All at Once, the Turning Weather” coalesce into dark grooves, while “World Split Open” pushes a single crushing riff and fuzzed-out bass line throughout the whole song without losing momentum. Yet for all Arbouretum's power and punch, the quartet of guitar, bass, keyboards/synthesizers, and drums also shows dramatic restraint. “Oceans Don’t Sing” is a melodic ballad featuring pedal steel and a superb guitar solo, and the closing title track has a Neil Young quality in its sparse piano, pedal steel, and steady, languid drumming. It’s an accomplished recording that's as concise and focused as anything Arbouretum has released to date.