Ataraxia / Taraxis

Two polarized sides of Pelican emerge on its Ataraxia/Taraxis EP. One side is on the two title tracks, which bookend the expertly paced effort with experimental flourishes and candlelit chords (well, candlelit until they burst into phoenix-like flames in the climatic final moments of "Taraxis"). The other side features the more familiar scorched-earth scores that claw their way through the record's chaotic core. The band doesn't seem to be battling an identity crisis a decade into its career, though; the marked contrasts that drive this well-balanced disc simply sound like four longtime friends who are still willing to toy with everyone's ideas. Which makes sense when you consider their geographic differences (guitarists Trevor de Brauw and Laurent Schroeder-Lebec have remained in Chicago, while the brothers Herweg—drummer Larry and bassist Bryan—now live in L.A.). Their various side projects are equally divergent, from the focal drone points of Chord to the Tool box that ÆGES pulls its proggy cues from.