Letters return to that sound I loved so much from their earliest release on their latest album, All The Adventures To See Them I Will. “Hideaway” and “Thrive” set the pace early-on, with lo-fi folk pop. The latter drops in a great beat, a most welcome addition to Letters’ already great sound.
It is this addition that makes All The Adventures To See Them I Will stand out. The Olympia-based band continues to create playful, whisper-y folk songs, but with a bigger emphasis on rhythm rather than instrumentation causes an eerie effect — something Letters have done well in the past. Yet here it’s capitalized upon; “Musk Of This Ink” is a perfect example.
As a whole, All The Adventures To See Them I Will holds together very well; better, in fact, than Letters’ previous releases. That’s not to say those prior releases didn’t hold merit — they most certainly did — it’s just that this album is more cohesive from song to song. There remain a few transition pieces, like “Hands In Pockets”, but Letters have put together an album that pays homage to their initial lo-fi folk-pop sound, yet adds elements of electro-pop throughout.
Download: “Thrive” by Letters
[audio:110816-letters-thrive.mp3|titles=Thrive|artists=Letters]
[CD, 2011]
1. Simple Fact
2. Hideaway
3. Thrive
4. Holiday
5. Musk Of This Ink
6. Hands In Pockets
7. Lullaby
8. Rachel
9. Sacred Chime
10. Expansive Feeling
11. Rare Beast
