Satellite Anthem Icarus: Explosions in Paris

I actually had tickets to see Explosions in the Sky a few weeks back, but I abdicated in favor of a friend who was more into the band, and resigned myself to somewhat ineffective academic work. I'm not sure if I would have enjoyed them, and after hearing this set, the only thing that was really confirmed was this ambiguity. Their new release, All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone, had been garnering rave reviews, but as is unfortunately the case with these critical darlings, there's a bit of a stylistic barrier. In this case, it's the general absence of any pop leanings, in favor for grandiose tracks that are epic in length and sparse on meaning, at least in the literal sense. I'm not sure if this is too loud to be called ambient, but it definitely seems the equivalence of salve for guitar fans.

Anyhow, I'd feel bad if I didn't at least give them, and you, a chance for a connection. Hopefully you'll have better luck than me. Here's a set from La Guinguette Pirate in Paris, recorded on September 22nd, 2002.

Enjoy:

1. Intro
2. Help Us Stay Alive
3. Unknown
4. First Breath After Coma
5. Six Days at the Bottom of the Ocean
6. Have You Passed Through This Night?
7. Memorial

Louder Than A Bomb: Here