Proud Peasant - Communion CD
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BAR 011
“Well, it’s taken a while, but alongside autumn’s arrival comes Communion, the sophomore album from Austin, Texas-based Xander Rapstine and his band of merry musicians collectively known as Proud Peasant. Their 2014 debut Flight has been a mainstay on my stereo system since its release (occasionally joined over the last couple of years by the odds ‘n sods compilation Peasantsongs), but now that the proper follow-up is finally upon us, it’s time to hear what this lot has come up with for the second instalment of their planned trilogy known as It Does Not Cease. The first thing we find is a comforting sense of continuity. Not only does this new release pick up right where the last one left off, but the abrupt conclusion leads me to believe that the final instalment (apparently to be called Dreeing the Weird) will follow suit, its own ending likely looping back to the beginning of Flight… it does not cease, you see. This large-scale, ambitious concept seems right in these folks’ wheelhouse, and I’m happy to report that with Communion, they have delivered another quality slab of intriguing compositions that bend styles and transcend genres...
I like any album that leaves me guessing as to what comes next, even after I’ve heard it multiple times. Is it going to be folky mandolin, frenzied guitar, prog rock whimsy, or even joyous yuletide vibes (as on Canticle of the Risen, the opening section of penultimate track Shibboleth)? Who knows… this band’s vaulting ambition and the bare boldness of their eccentricity is what makes them. They’ve expanded their boundaries but their memorable melodies and compositions remain flush with charm, and it’s a pleasure to dig in to this latest chapter in their ongoing story. I don’t know how long it will be until Dreeing the Weird sees the light of day, but in the meantime, I suggest we all partake in Communion… and then get in line to do it again.”-Velvet Thunder
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