Operating on the principle that anything worth saying is worth taking a long time to say, Del Rey's 51-minute, seven-song second album,
Darkness & Distance, is an expansive, mind-altering rock disc sure to delight head-trippers burnt out on
Dark Side of the Moon. More than just a newgazer band on
Darkness & Distance, this instrumental four-piece's set opener, "Asimov," twists and turns as
Santana-inspired percussion collides with the guitar washes of
Spacemen 3. At times, Damien Burke, Brendan Daly, Eben English, and
Michael Johnson's music seems to wander, but tracks like "Dust Huntress" and "Dual Sun System" are never aimless, always managing to find their way back to the same riffs that first set them adrift. "Staph & Strep" is another musical rocket ride, evoking strains of classic
Rush, modern jazz, and the simplicity of
the Strokes in a journey-filled eight minutes. Del Rey's music may not be immediate, but listeners with the patience to let it take flight should find themselves repeatedly drawn to its depth and innovation. ~ John D. Luerssen