On
Middle States,
the Appleseed Cast capture the uncertainty of the Midwest with a collection of songs that are always changing, subtly shifting like the seasons into more atmospheric territories. Delivering four songs in a little under 30 minutes, the album finds the band continuing to move in a more post-rock oriented direction with sprawling, reverb-drenched songs that allow the listener to simply drift along with them as they wander through the wide-open spaces of the album's namesake. While four songs in a half-hour may seem a bit long,
the Appleseed Cast showcase a knack for getting to the point without a lot of fuss. On “End Frigate Constellation,” the opening track, the band kicks the album off with a bit of
Fugazi-esque noodling before swinging the door wide open to reveal a spacy and more open sound that is constantly moving the song forward without allowing it to stand around gazing at its own navel. Even “Three Rivers,” the lengthy closing track, manages to keep things feeling like they’re moving along, despite its 14-minute run time. As an EP,
Middle States is an interesting paradox, presenting a collection of songs that are simultaneously concise and exploratory, expanding their sound without meandering, and managing to do it all without feeling overly restrained. ~ Gregory Heaney