Reviews

It took me six attempts to actually finish listening to We Move Like Ghosts, ten full listens to appreciate it. Initially, I was going to declare Track A Tiger’s sophomore album just plain boring. Although I could appreciate its musical merits, the roomy, laidback sound just wasn’t speaking to me. But somewhere after that eighth listen, I realized that the album had, in fact, grown on me.
 
We Move Like Ghosts starts off with solitary drums, adds a lilting, strumming guitar, then layers some quietly moaning strings, topped off with Jim Vallet’s low whisper-like vocals harmonized with Kristina Castañeda’s. Every track on the album is built with these layers that integrate multiple instruments into one atmospheric sound.
 
Despite the careful and oftentimes beautiful craftsmanship, Track A Tiger occasionally takes its lulling sound a little too far. The song “Light,” for example, is so dreamy it becomes a little dreary and detached. There’s some spacey sounding keys with the slow strums of an acoustic guitar, played over a broom sweeping back and forth. Well it’s not a broom, but it sure sounds like one.
 
But then the jangling almost alt-country following track “All These Accidents” picks the album back up, and then it’s slowed way down again by the solo guitar approach of the next track. Then things get punched back up by the rolling bass and faster guitar and drum pace of “Not Far From This Anger.” These more upbeat songs balance out the really slow, tiring, songs, but either way, We Move Like Ghosts never gets too far from the band’s low, dreamy sound.
 
The last two tracks are the standouts for me though. In the second to last track, “Summer’s End” the drums become the forefront instrument, while the guitar takes over beat-keeping responsibilities. A simplistic, haunting melody played on the keys is complemented by Castañeda’s warm voice. Album-ender “Without Fail” features a really wonderful use of strings. The orchestral sound definitely breaks from the rest of the album, but it sounds great.
 
I’m not used to putting this much effort into enjoying an album. In fact, if I didn’t have to review We Move Like Ghosts, I wouldn’t have given it the chance. Track A Tiger takes a very patient listener, someone who’s probably had a lot of practice listening to bands like Yo La Tango, Low, and Luna. I’m not really that listener, but I’m glad I stuck with it long enough to appreciate the mellow indie pop Track A Tiger produces.