We Creeling

We Creeling finds the Curious Mystery's Shana Cleveland and Nicolas Gonzalez expanding the plaintive, reverberated sound of Rotting Slowly with new bassist Bradford Button and a long list of contributers, including violinist Gabriel Will (Hive Dwellers), pianist Andrew Dorsett, organist Aaron Otheim, cellist Dylan Rieck, and drummer Kristian Garrard (Thousands), along with a small choir and the help of multi-instrumentalist/return producer Karl Blau. Unlike many of the K Records outings that feature a mish-mash of guest artists from the label, We Creeling sounds like the work of a well-practiced band. The playing is complex, with shifting song structures that angle away from the duo's melancholy verse-chorus style. As a more psychedelic album, it starts with the Ravi Shankar-inspired drones of "Up in the Morning" and unfolds slowly. Garage, sadcore, and dream pop are still a big part of the washy mix, but the Curious Mystery roam freely, going from songs that have the feel of the Velvet Underground's self-titled album into lapses of art rock doodling or into smokey desert jams that share the spirit of the Doors' "The End." Even with some meandering, the record holds to a narcotic pace. Inherently, it's a more complicated and restless listen than the sensual stillness of the debut, but it's also a compelling one. ~ Jason Lymangrover