Tense yet serenely calm, this melancholic pop album feels like a day at the beach when it's almost a little too cool out. There's a few clouds in the sky, the waves don't challenge anyone, and there aren't too many people out. But it is cathartic, nevertheless. Think solid drumming with lots of shakers, noodley guitars with delay and reverb, the occasional noise outburst, Thom Yorke vocals, and drawn out organ chords trading off with solid bass lines. It's indie rock bliss much like Broken Social Scene, but with fewer layers; you can still get lost in the sonic collage of it, but it's more concise, more direct. The Clever North Wind reminds me a lot of this one song by Rhythm of Black Lines called "Zama": catchy, tight, distant, and likable. There are a few misses on here, but for the most part, these guys hit the indie rock target with a healthy balance of innovation and incorporation. Oh yeah, and they are from Seattle. I could have just said that.
1. Songs Of The Ancient
2. Now & Formerly
3. Dusty Rue
4. Beezlebub (Leave Me Be)
5. Gladness
6. A Wild One
7. Better A Debtor
8. Dead Hands
9. Statica
10. Viva The Decline
11. The Last Hour
12. Voltaire
13. Deidre Of The Sorrows
14. Helvetia
15. The Drowning End