More Deep Cuts

If you thought My Bloody Valentine's Kevin Shields or Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor were the only ones who took their time in the studio, add Dee Kesler of San Francisco's Thee More Shallows to the fold of artists who meticulously perfect every inch of their music. Kesler and his band took nearly three years to complete More Deep Cuts, a sophomore effort that's as creative as it is haunting. Given the breathy, quiet vocals, there's bound to be comparisons to Grandaddy. Otherwise, the agenda for More Deep Cuts travels a lot further into the depths of chamber rock. While there's not a large assembly of instruments, the violin, French horn, and toy piano help to create a distant, almost surreal mood, which undoubtedly adds to the eerie "Ave Grave," which possesses the grim lyrics "and then we killed them and put all their bodies into a massive grave." There are also some brief interludes here reminiscent of Mercury Rev's Deserter's Songs, though this is on a darker level that requires close listening to fully understand.