Hurricane Bells
Tonight is the Ghost
(Vagrant)
If you know who the Hurricane Bells are, there are probably two very different reasons. Either you’re a 13-year-old girl who, as instructed, purchased the “Twilight: New Moon” soundtrack to listen to a bunch of “Twilight”-approved artists such as Hurricane Bells, or you’ve known Steve Schiltz (aka Hurricane Bells) from his other band, Longwave. Don’t want to make any generalizations, but the overwhelming majority is going to fit in the former. OK, alright, maybe you’re not a 13-year-old girl and you know Hurricane Bells because there were some top-notch bands on the “Twilight: New Moon” soundtrack, but you know, you didn’t have to purchase the whole album and contribute to the “Twilight” money-making machine.
No matter who you actually are, or what your preference of vampire-based books/movies may be, you may actually find some stuff to enjoy on Tonight is the Ghost. The music is slow and atmospheric, maybe something that would be better suited to be listened to…at night.
Schlitz is the lone musician on Tonight is the Ghost, and because of that, the album manages to stick with the same laid-back, late-night vibe. Surprisingly enough, the song that actually appears on the “Twilight” soundtrack, "Monsters," does not even make an appearance on Tonight is the Ghost. Instead, the songs here are soothing and quiet. On the album's lead-off track, "This Year," Schlitz gets the mood going with a slow, quiet guitar-driven track which builds up momentum, incorporating echoy background voices and percussion. "This Year" is easily a highlight of the album and shows that Schlitz understands how to incorporate multiple layers onto a track to keep it from becoming too dreary and stale. The same can be sad for "This is a Test." The short, but sweet, track is led by a fairly slick bass groove and it gets its point across in a timely manner. Unfortunately, the first two tracks on Tonight is the Ghost are easily the most memorable, and the album tends to spiral down into a dreary, repetitive void. That's all fine and good if that's the mood you're going for.
Again, this is a late-night type of album. The sort of disc you put on, lay down on the couch, turn on the lights and just relax. There are very few parts of the disc that are very immediate. The disc is probably better suited to be taken as a whole instead of individual songs, but the problem is that many songs tend to just blend in together. Tonight is the Ghost could definitely grow on someone, but with an album with so few hooks, you may just find yourself falling asleep on the couch.