How Strange, Innocence

Amazon.com
"At certain points along the way, several of us wanted to buy back all the copies and burn them," writes Explosions in the Sky on their liner notes to this reissued debut. That's not a rousing recommendation, but an honest one from a group that three years later would produce one of the definitive post-modern guitar instrumental albums, The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place. How Strange, Innocence was reportedly made in only two days and released as a 300-issue CD-R in 2000. It's as rough and ready as that might suggest, but the sound of EITS was already well-formed right out of the Austin electric guitar womb. The opening "Song for Our Fathers" with its languid rhythm and surf guitar reverb fits right in with their later work. It's not perfect. They hadn't yet become sultans of the slow build crescendo, and there are more muffs than any self-respecting musician would want frozen for posterity. Nevertheless, it holds up as a rustic artifact and songs like the opener and "Look Into the Air" fulfill their mission of mood. Even before they were providing atmospheric soundtracks for Friday Night Lights and recording minor symphonies of electric guitar twang, Explosions in the Sky already had a clear vision of their sound. --John Diliberto

How Strange, Innocence,Explosions in the Sky,Temporary Residence,Indie Rock,Pop,Post-Rock/Experimental,Rock,Rock/Pop

How Strange, Innocence

Average customer rating:

Not their best work, but still very good
WOW
Cool as Ice
almost 5, not just music to enjoy.
How Strange Inncocence- EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY

How Strange, Innocence
Explosions in the Sky
Manufacturer: Temporary Residence
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Experimental Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000BCKFIY
Release Date: 2005-10-11

Tracks:

A Song For Our Fathers
Snow And Lights
Magic Hours
Look Into The Air
Glittering Blackness
Time Stops
Remember Me As A Time Of Day

Amazon.com

"At certain points along the way, several of us wanted to buy back all the copies and burn them," writes Explosions in the Sky on their liner notes to this reissued debut. That's not a rousing recommendation, but an honest one from a group that three years later would produce one of the definitive post-modern guitar instrumental albums, The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place. How Strange, Innocence was reportedly made in only two days and released as a 300-issue CD-R in 2000. It's as rough and ready as that might suggest, but the sound of EITS was already well-formed right out of the Austin electric guitar womb. The opening "Song for Our Fathers" with its languid rhythm and surf guitar reverb fits right in with their later work. It's not perfect. They hadn't yet become sultans of the slow build crescendo, and there are more muffs than any self-respecting musician would want frozen for posterity. Nevertheless, it holds up as a rustic artifact and songs like the opener and "Look Into the Air" fulfill their mission of mood. Even before they were providing atmospheric soundtracks for Friday Night Lights and recording minor symphonies of electric guitar twang, Explosions in the Sky already had a clear vision of their sound. --John Diliberto

Customer Reviews:

Not their best work, but still very good.......2007-05-18

Explosions in the Sky's debut album How Strange Innocence is not up to par with the albums they would follow it up with, but it is still a must for Explosions in the Sky fans and has a few gems like Glittering Blackness and Magic Hours. Don't go in expecting an album like The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place and you should enjoy it.

WOW.......2007-01-01

Amazing...didn't listen to any of the later albums, but I heard that this one was their first and "lightest". They were right. It really moved me, but don't take my word for it. I guess it was kind of contraversial, one of those "love it or hate it" albums, but to me it was really mind-blowing. When I'm in a bad mood I just turn it on and let it wash over me... you can just feel its power in your ears.

Cool as Ice.......2006-09-12

This might be the least thoughtful of 'Explosions in the Sky''s releases, but it's also quite possible their most enjoyable. To be sure, it's the lightest, for with 'Those Who Tell the Truth' (their best album if I'm honest with myself) and the subsequent 'Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place', their intended effect is much more pronounced, and therefore drenched in sentiment. 'How Strange', on the other hand, is gleefully unpretentious and the result of such an attitude is oh-so likeable. Like the opener on the album, 'A Song For Our Fathers', the music basically melts into your cerebrum (opposed to your heart, which they strove for later on).

'Explosions' is not my favorite post-rock band but I still love 'em. Those who fell in love with these guys for either of the albums mentioned above should prepare themselves for the inevitable absence of polish and lacking performances (when compared to their evolved selves), but hey, it 'is' their first recording, and once one gets past these things, there is little to dislike here. It might not contain enough genuine ideas for the 50 minute runtime, but even in its duller moments it remains pleasurable for the pleasing ambience.

The more I think about it, 'How Strange, Innocence' might actually be the best EitS album to begin with if you're unexposed. Well, that or 'Earth...', which is probably even more accessible and immediately gratifying. Even so, that one is still a great deal more melodramatic, if sincere, and nothing after 'How Strange' gave off the smooth, chill soundscape that the band came to fruition with. Really, it's an entirely different beast than their progressing work, for better or worse -- I.E., excellent, just like everything they've written since.

almost 5, not just music to enjoy........2006-09-08

Glittering blackness moves and you feel your mind hitting the surface with reality. my words don't give it the right meaning. Watch things collide. explosions in the sky best describes their music. good song titles to fit their music. and I do love this album but I prefer to listen to my favorite songs on the album again and again instead of listening to it through each time and that is why i give it 4 stars, cause all the songs don't always keep me fascinated. but the ones that do do. Glittering Blackness and Time Stops are the best songs on this album and are worth the hole cd. A song for our fathers also really amazing. like an old man and a young child living a life in the same body. weary and new. fresh and old. two seperate unique individuals meet and time stops blackness glitters. this album explores opposites without controversies between the two, they more blend and combine them, making smooth transitions and creating memories and stories. a song for our fathers introduces this and explores the mind of time with that old man you know and feel like he is your father or you in disguise. a weird coincidence of differences.

How Strange Inncocence- EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY.......2006-07-31

Wow I just don't know where to start with this album.Well, about the album itself: I think this is best explained by the band, so here's what they think- "How Strange, Innocence" was our first attempt at an album. We recorded it in January 2000 in Austin: recording took two days, mixing one day, mastering one day. Altogether we pressed 300 CD-R copies of this album...We had been a band about seven months when we recorded these songs. A lot of feelings (excitement/confusion/glimpses of visions/waking dreams/inability to play instruments) went into this record, but we didn't quite know what to do with those feelings, none of us had even really been in a studio before, and it shows in the recording, the songs show it, too--it's a young record. There are no tricks in it. There's a lightness in a few of the songs that we probably won't reach again. It sounds strange to say that instrumental songs are about something, but to us these songs were/are about such things as a couple walking through the park on a winter day, a child playing on 70's shag carpet, the story of a boy hero leading a revolution against the tyranny of the coal mines. We've had a bit of a love/embarrassment relationship with the record. At certain points along the way several of us wanted to buy back all the copies and burn them. Listening now to this album, it almost seems like a different band composed of four different people. We finally feel okay in re-releasing it, probably because we've now made a couple of records that are recorded better and that are closer to our visions for them. Anyway, we truly appreciate anyone who is interested and listening. Thank you."

That was on the CD itself- hope you found that helpful. I like this CD for two reasons. 1.The wonderful way Explosions in the Sky can tell a story through their instruments. 2.This album has a distinct sound- one all its own. If you didn't like Explosions in the sky before, you will once you listen to this album.
-Sherman.

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