Ef ~ Ceremonies

Congratulations to Swedish post-rockers Ef, who are celebrating their first decade as a band with the release of Ceremonies.  This is a rare feat for any band, much less a post-rock band, demonstrating the power of Ef and the continuing appeal of the genre.

How has Ef done it?  The old fashioned way, with consistent, high quality music and touring.  Ef has developed a signature sound of tender vocals, horns, glockenspiel and of course guitar, bass and drums.  Tomas Torsson’s whispery voice is immediately recognizable.  Add the remix discs and memorable artwork, and the recipe for long-term success is nearly complete.  The final piece of the puzzle, which has developed over the past few years, is the distance traveled from Sigur Rós.  At this point, no one would get the two confused.  Sure, the bands use similar instrumentation and share occasional “oo-aa” vocals, but Ef descends into their vocal segments, while Sigur Rós rises into theirs; and Ef has developed a dependably fragile, wistful mood that is solely theirs.

The highlight piece here is “Delusions of Grandeur”, which we reviewed when it was released last year as the title track of an EP.  But there are plenty of other candidates for the Greatest Hits album that we suspect will one day appear.  (And how often do we say that about a post-rock band?)  Lead single “Bells, Bleed, and Bloom” sails on a sea of strings, atop which a lonely trumpeter languishes, guiding the way to shore.  “Yield, Heart, Yield!” is the album’s finest anthem, establishing the mood with vocal harmonies, then allowing the last eight minutes to coast vocal-free.  This is where Ef rocks out, clearly enjoying their studio time.  On Delusions of Grandeur and Ceremonies, the expanded Ef sound yields huge dividends.  The quieter moments (for example, two-thirds of the way into “Yield, Heart, Yield!”, all of “Sex” and the unexpected breakdown of “Where G. Mallory Sleeps”) possess a greater power than ever before, as they are offset by fuller moments than the band has ever produced.  There’s no reason why this band can’t keep going for another ten years, and it is our sincere hope that this will be the case.  Check the site for bonus bundles including vinyl copies and tote bags!  (Richard Allen)

Release date:  1 September

Available here