Band of Horses - Infinite Arms
List Price:
Our Price: $5.33
You Save: $6.65 (56%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $3.51 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more CD details
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
CD Details
Artist: Band of HorsesEdition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown)
CD Release Date: 2010-05-18
Music Label: Columbia
Product features:
- Rock
- Factory
- Compliments
- Laredo
- Blue Beard
- On My Way Back Home
- Infinite Arms
- Dilly
- Evening Kitchen
- Older
- For Annabelle
- NW Apt.
- Neighbor
Music reviews of Infinite Arms
Music Review: "Compliments" on another fine album.
Rating: 4 Stars
I've been listening to Band of Horses' third album "Infinite Arms" for over a week now. Initially I only heard three tracks on their Myspace page: "Compliments", "Laredo" and "Factory". At first I was noticeably disappointed with the tracks. Of course I don't like anything the first time I listen it. Still the tracks definitely sounded more produced than their previous works, most noticeably on "Factory". I found myself skipping that track and opting for the get up and go of "Compliments" and "Laredo". Well like all music that I grow to like, all the tracks definitely grew on me.
There was another track I had also heard though and that was "Older", though I had only heard it in more of a demo form and not in it's album guise. The track has been on Ryan Monroe's, the keyboardist in the band, Myspace page for at least a good year. I knew I liked that demo version of the track and so I expected something similar on the album.
So as I said, the band was streaming the album on their website before the album's release. That was a great opporunity to hear how the rest of the album played out. Again, I found myself a bit disappointed. There were other songs that I liked, but there was a problem. It was as if I would pay less attention about halfway through. After a few more listens I figured out why that was. The middle of the album definitely slows down a bit in tempo. Couple that with it being occupied by in my opinion two of the lesser tracks on the album in the title track "Infinite Arms" and "Dilly". So probably my biggest criticism of the album isn't necessarily the music itself but rather the way it's laid out. I don't think the album should have kicked off with "Factory" and it does get a bit "lost" if you will in the middle. Still after you get used to it sounds more natural and makes more sense.
Now there is perhaps another reason why the album does sound a bit of a mish-mash of tracks. With this album you get the influence of the other players more than you did with the previous works. Well there were other influences in their previous albums, but many of the players have since left the band (especially after the first album). While there were some talented players in Mat Brooke and Sera Cahoone, much of it was still Bridwell's from what I can tell. With this album though get more influences from the other players. Personally I find that to be a good thing considering the tracks that are delivered as a result: "Evening Kitchen" and "Older". In fact I think that Tyler Ramsey is a good guitar player and songwriter. However it does seem to lend to a couple of different sounds coming from the album. So take a look at the liner notes to have a bit more understanding of where the songs came from. Indeed do so before labelling some tracks, as some reviews on Amazon on here are doing, as sounding influenced by certain bands or other musicians that they were probably never influenced by.
As for the production of the album, or rather overproduction as some might say, I find that it's really not that overproduced. "Factory" for me is with that strings sound to it and that definitely sounds like a major label song, but the rest of it doesn't seem so much. Perhaps the track that best illustrates that for me is "Evening Kitchen". Now to understand this you have to first understand who wrote the track. This is a Tyler Ramsey song and it smacks of his solo album "A Long Dream About Swimming Across The Sea." In fact it wouldn't surprise me if it was a track that simply didn't make the cut for that album. Either way, it sounds a little... "cleaner" maybe than the tracks from that album, but it's still a really stripped down song and has his fingerprints all over it. The title track "Infinite Arms" though, much like "Factory", does sound more produced.
The album definitely has a different feel and to an extent sound (particularly from their first album) to it than their previous two albums. For me the second album, "Cease To Begin", which I also really like had a Carolina feel to it. This album has more of an "out West" sort of feel to it. It's definitely not country and it's definitely not a Carolina sound for me. I think the album cover encompasses a lot of it really well. In fact Christopher Wilson's photography again suits the album's really well. Maybe that's more me attributing the photographs to the songs as opposed to the songs to the photographs. However having heard the songs first I doubt it.
That leads me to the CD itself. For starters, great price from Amazon. The disc came in one of those cardboard cases which I actually prefer to the plastic CD cases. It sort of tri-folds out. The outer parts of this tri-fold have the cover, a track listing on the back and just a plain photo on the third part. All of the photos are that starry sky picture from Christopher Wilson. The inner part of the tri-fold is this brilliant late afternoon grey sky over some mountains and pine trees evidently taken out West. Of course the disc just slides out of one side of the packaging. The real treat though slides out of the other side. You get twelve photo cars of Christopher Wilson's photography, each one for a particular track. Then on the back of those slides it says the song track, gives a lyric or twenty and lists who contributed what in terms of vocals and instrumentation. The final slide has a black and white photo montage of the band members with the back having the liner notes. All in all a really great collection for a CD and hopefully the band continues to offer this on their coming albums as they have this album and the previous two.
Overall I think in "Infinite Arms" you get another good Band of Horses album. Is is their best? No. Is is their worst? No. I find it on par with their first two albums. For me that's great because I love their sound and I'd rather "nothing ventured, nothing lost" if you will rather than "something ventured, something lost". Of course some day I might get sick of same old, same old. In fact I feel as though the general thought these days is that you have to really sound different after a while or Pitchfork for example will slate you. At the end of the day it doesn't surprise me that the album is getting mixed reviews in the media and even here from fans. I think the album takes some real listens before you make your judgement though, at least for me that was the case. For now though I have an album that is teeing up summer very nicely. I just hope that I don't overplay it before September.
Description of Infinite Arms
"Infinite Arms" is Band of Horses' third full length album and major label debut. Produced by Band of Horses with additional production by Phil Ek and mixed by Dave Sardy, the songs on "Infinite Arms" project the essence of the different American locales that became the setting for the recording and songwriting process, yielding the group's most focused and dynamic recordings to date.Band of Horses is Ben Bridwell, Creighton Barrett, Ryan Monroe, Tyler Ramsey, and Bill Reynolds. Infinite Arms marks the recording debut for Ramsey and Reynolds, while Barrett and Monroe graced the last album Cease to Begin. Through extensive touring over the last two years, Band of Horses have become a cohesive force, with all members making invaluable contributions to the unmistakable sound that has Bridwell has crafted since the band's inception.
Alternative Rock CDs
Music Genres
Bestsellers in Alternative Rock CDs
Bouncing Souls - Maniacal LaughterRelease date: 1996-01-26; Music CD
Best price: $30.00
Blondie - Parallel LinesRelease date: 1994-07-29; Music CD
Best price: $149.98
Doors - L.A. WomanRelease date: 1993-04-09; Music CD
Best price: $99.99
Amon Duul - Phallus DeiRelease date: 1997-04-08; Music CD
Price in other shops:
Tangerine Dream - MelroseRelease date: 1990-10-02; Music CD
Best price: $74.98
Tangerine Dream - Private Music of Tangerine DreamRelease date: 1992-11-10; Music CD
Best price: $5.00
Price in other shops:
![Ska Explosion [VHS] Image](/images/Ska-Explosion-VHS-6303381014-X.jpg){kind=small}
Ska Explosion [VHS]Cleopatra; Release date: 1995-02-28; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $14.99
Price in other shops:
![Little Earthquakes [VHS] Image](/images/Little-Earthquakes-VHS-6302488664-X.jpg){kind=small}
Little Earthquakes [VHS]Atlantic / Wea; Release date: 1992-11-10; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $12.50
Price in other shops:
Exileby Geoffrey Oryema
Music CD
Best price: $4.95
![Louder Than Live [VHS] Image](/images/Louder-Than-Live-VHS-6301627865-X.jpg){kind=small}
Soundgarden - Louder Than Live [VHS]A&M Video; Release date: 1991-07-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $202.44
Similar CDs
Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow StairsBaker & Taylor; Release date: 2008-05-13; Published: 2008; Music CD
Best price: $6.99
Price in other shops:
Shins - Oh, Inverted WorldSHINS; Release date: 2001-06-19; Music CD
Best price: $6.30
Price in other shops:
Fleet Foxes - Sun Giant EPRelease date: 2008-04-08; Music CD
Best price: $2.99
Price in other shops:
Fleet Foxes - Fleet FoxesFLEET FOXES; Release date: 2008-06-03; Music CD
Best price: $9.07
Price in other shops:
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness BluesRelease date: 2011-05-03; Music CD
Best price: $8.60
Price in other shops:
My Morning Jacket - CircuitalRelease date: 2011-05-31; Music CD
Best price: $8.08
Price in other shops:
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever AgoBaker & Taylor; Release date: 2008-02-19; Music CD
Best price: $9.38
Price in other shops:
Mumford & Sons - Sigh No MoreRelease date: 2010-02-16; Music CD
Best price: $8.09
Price in other shops:
Band of Horses - Everything All the TimeBAND OF HORSES; Release date: 2006-03-21; Music CD
Best price: $7.89
Price in other shops:
Band of Horses - Cease to BeginRelease date: 2007-10-09; Music CD
Best price: $7.87
Price in other shops: