Sparkling to life in a manner unlike anything they've done to date, Portland, Oregon trio
Mimicking Birds spread their wings on their third LP,
Layers of Us. While retaining just enough of the soothing, pastoral spirit of their first two efforts, the band inject much-needed energy and vigor to their sound, resulting in a more engaging and immediate experience. They shake off the titular sediment on "Dust Layers," a pleasant ditty that finds the Nick Lacy-fronted group expanding their sonic space with production flourish and rhythm. Here, they're less
Bon Iver or
Fleet Foxes and more
Midlake,
War on Drugs, or
the Shins. The rest of the album follows suit, as the driving "Another Time" and the upbeat "Sunlight Daze" jolt
Mimicking Birds to life. Aaron Hanson and Adam Trachsel's rhythm section are put to work on the aforementioned tracks, as well as the urgent "A Part" and the loopy "Island Shore," which features their label head, Isaac Brock (
Modest Mouse), on the
Primus-esque vocal breakdown. It's a clear spiritual departure from the campfire acoustics of
Mimicking Birds and
Eons, and yet they've lost none of their earthy soul.
Layers of Us melts some of the band's delicate iciness with a warm, beating heart. ~ Neil Z. Yeung