The Contortionist – “Our Bones” (eOne)

Bands should never be faulted for taking risks. For thinking outside the box. For forging a new sonic path. Enter The Contortionist and their adventurous new EP, Our Bones. Combining elements of post-rock, dream-pop, shoegaze, metal and more, Our Bones drops listeners down a subversive rabbit hole, right from the start. Opener “Follow” is about as tempered a pacesetter as you’ll find, thanks to immersive soundscapes complete with fuzzy riffs and atmospheric screams, “Empty Grave” is a truly expansive work brimming with a wide-ranging array of sounds, including dissonant shrieks, resonating cymbal crashes and engulfing harmonies. ‘And I know it feels like you're drowning these days, and I know you question if it's too late, and my only hope is that you choose to stay, 'cause you're more than, you're more than an early grave,’ frontman Michael Lessard sings during the track’s chorus. The all-too-brief “All Grey” pivots Our Bones down an entirely new emotional path, thanks to the minimalist lines, ‘you'd say, "I wonder how death found me?, and how I might not be the worst, but I'd always be your first," these days only grey surrounds me, as I watch all you were slowly fall into the earth, all greys.’ The Contortionist save some of their best work for last on Our Bones with a brilliant, dreamy take on the Smashing Pumpkins’ hit “1979,” knocking it literally out of the park with the shot-for-shot remake. The entirety of Our Bones plays like a dream; a passionate four-song lullaby that flexes both the innate talent and sheer songwriting chops of The Contortionist. 

Go Download: “Empty Grave”