The Gathering marks Arbouretum's fourth album and is a mix of stoner-metal, drone, folk-rock and an americana-style feel. The feel to album is very old. Old like a tree (duh) or a dusty old old town off the highway. Not old like your Dad's record collection or some lame retro vibe. Old like the Earth.
I just recently traveled around the country on the train. I saw so much of this country and this album reminds me a lot of it. When I listen to this I think of plains, rivers, forests, mountains, deserts, snow and oceans. This album has a very earthy feel to it, but not in a cheesy hippy way. This is an album not celebrating the Earth but revering it as a force not to fuck with.
The opening track "The White Bird" is already one of my favorite songs of the year. It's just so fucking epic. The whole album is an awesome listen front to back. The other big highlight is their cover of "The Highwayman" (popularized by Glen Campbell and the Cash, Nelson, Jennings and Kristofferson super-group) which is an absolutely perfect song for this album. The Gathering is a weighty album and if you like epic-shit, this album is right up your alley. Spark a joint and enjoy, mannnn (or don't. I enjoyed the album perfectly fine without doing that.)
Similar: Dead Meadow, Midlake, The Highwaymen
Rating: 8.5
Thrill Jockey Records
Released: February 15th, 2011
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