The opening song, "Promise," is slow-developing, stripped-down pop bathed in somnolent broth that withers away after six minutes as if it has finally drifted off into alpha state, and the remainder of
Nord Express' debut album drifts deeper and deeper into that ethereal mood. With its minimalist approach to instrumentation, Central seems not so much interested in enveloping a listener as it is -- like most pop -- in insinuating its melodies inside that listener, and it does so with restraint and slow repetition that never sounds muted and never, despite its subdued nature, sorrowful, though it is often melancholy. Songs such as "I'll Wait for You in Kansas City" or "M. Row" even approach a certain brightness in spite of their low, garbled vocals. Understatement is the name of the game for
Nord Express, but it is not a case of being too subtle or not revealing enough in or through the music. The understatement is so consistent that it becomes the instrument of insinuation, a way in which a more textured sense of passion can be conveyed or understood at. It also threatens to tear the music apart at the seams, which nakedly shows throughout the album. The songs sometimes take so long to develop that it can be somewhat frustrating. As a listener you know there is a point, and you know that
Nord Express will eventually come to that point in their own sweet time, but they do not always let you in on the ending, only on the process, before everything slows to a halt. The music cannot be dismissed, yet it also seems to be missing a full-on conclusion. As the song titles and sequence seem to predict, sometimes songs start out with a "Promise" but too easily fade into "Lights Out." Mostly, however, the band hits upon a quiet, melodic sort of drone that is beautiful in and of itself. That those droning tendencies serve the song rather than just the sound makes Central all the more accomplished and lovely. ~ Stanton Swihart