This trio relies on quirky, angular instrumentals to get its message across. Although there are a handful of brief interludes here lasting around one minute each, a piece like "Your Tongue or Your Life" is a good lead-in to the harder, grittier and indie rock/shoegazing feel that comes from "Two Hands" sounding like a track that
Yo La Tengo,
Sonic Youth or
the Replacements would have a lot of fun with. The song also is highlighted by the bombastic playing of drummer Rick McCarty. Often, the harder that
Ampline plays, the better the result. A prime example of this is the bass-driven but extremely tight "Red and Yellow" that never loses its intensity or momentum. Fans of
the Cure's early work would also find comfort in a number such as "Völtaire Häth Späke" with its various twists and guitar-fuelled turns.
Ampline slow things down somewhat for the melodic "Our Hunted Names," which resembles a cross between
R.E.M. and
the Jesus and Mary Chain. The second half of the record contains two longer, fleshed out pieces beginning with "We Are Appalachian." Here the band opts for something in a progressive rock vein starting off, bringing to mind
Pink Floyd before they beef things up and shift gears dramatically, galloping headlong into a grandiose indie rock section. Meanwhile, the nine-minute "Have Gun, Will Travel" starts off fast but then finds a string of hooks and curves to make things extremely interesting and inviting for the listener. Sandwiched between these two longer pieces is a brawny and ballsy "Back in the Fold" which sounds like a slight improvement on the earlier songs. It's an intricate and meticulous number that still has its moments of power. ~ Jason MacNeil