Delusions of Adequacy
written by: Wil Holland (8.23.2004)
As far as I’m concerned, This is a Process of a Still Life is the greatest band to ever come out of the state of Montana. I mean really, of all the great groups to come out of the hot Helena indie scene, this one reigns supreme.
But seriously, This is a Process of a Still Life is a good band. The band's maturity is impressive given that this self-titled album is its first. Then again, these folks obviously had a good schooling in instrumental music. I’m amazed at how similar they sound to the Austin band Explosions in the Sky – at some points even I have trouble discerning between the two. The reverbs and delays used on the guitar work in particular are nearly identical at times.
But it’s really a compliment to both of these bands that they sound so similar, because they’re both so good. They are the painters of the musical community, stretching song structures into an open canvas within which they paint their moods, emotions, thoughts, and feelings. This is a Process of a Still Life is much more direct and straightforward than many of its instrumental brethren, with most songs lasting around only four minutes in length. And unlike Austin counterparts, there are no explosions in any of these songs. This band is also a bit more intellectual and feels much more moody but less impulsive. And This is a Process of a Still Life seems to focus more on shifting these moods rather than a song’s dynamics, an aim that sets the band closer to the likes of Early Day Miners.
The beauty of this intent is that the only guide to the artists’ meaning is the quality of their musical skill. With no words to focus on, a listener has greater flexibility in attaching his or her own meaning to the music, a process that takes a more serious listening approach but ultimately concludes with a greater sense of emotional attachment to the songs. In a sense, the artists provide the ingredients - sadness, hope, despair, melancholy, joy - and the listener uses these to create his or her own personal recipe. This is a Process of a Still Life provides such ingredients in spades and all are of the highest quality of musical expression.
The highlight of this album is “Pretty is Predictable,” aptly-named because from the opening strains one can tell it is obviously geared toward a single perfect moment. And just over halfway through the song, it hits. A quick burst of upward-rising melody is underscored by a gigantic space opened up by the bass and drums, and I soon found myself listening to this passage over and over again. It’s the moment every musician and songwriter hopes for, the moment where everything fits into place in a way that’s both utterly simple yet impossible to explain.
As I said, this is only the band's first album. I’m looking forward to hearing from This is a Process of a Still Life in the future as the band grows and further defines its little niche of beautiful solemn instrumental music it has begun carving out. This is a band to keep an ear on.
