genres: indie pop + post-rock + classical + alternative folk
for fans of: Sufjan Stevens, Sigur Rós, Mumford & Sons
‘Orchestra’ is a good descriptor for this band, even if it refers more to the songwriting philosophy than to the musical compositions themselves. For sure, there’s a variety of actual string and wind instruments mixed into most of the songs amidst guitars, drums, and piano, but it’s the interplay between the classical and contemporary instruments that makes this a unique experience. Pop hooks become the backbone of repeating themes within songs, yet the album maintains a laidback progression that never gets tiring.
From the contemplative “Last Lie”, to the playful “Penny For Your Thoughts” and “As Far as I’m Concerned”, to the devastating “Glossolalia” and “Synthesis”, there’s certainly a fullness to the entire album experience that evokes intentional classical compositions, yet each song is also strong enough to stand on its own. The ability to effortlessly move between radically different emotions without ever really leaving a folk-rock soundscape is truly a mark of the group’s brilliance. The attention to detail is also incredible. Both male and female vocals play within relaxed ranges throughout, yet subtle changes to the piano, drum, and bass tones between tracks gives each track a distinct yet cohesive identity. “Glossolalia” is the pinnacle of this album, using a single, ceaseless piano chord played in eighth-notes to keep rhythm while the drums add to the melody.
Lyrically, Dear Bigotry is simultaneously intensely personal and entirely cryptic. Songs like “Glossolalia” employ deeply poetic language to relate the writer’s loss of faith in the charismatic traditions of his upbringing with the realization of the dark undertones of the architectural codes of his hometown in a way that is both impossible for outsiders to truly understand, yet deeply cathartic all the same. This mood continues throughout all the songs, often with the most playful music hiding the darkest lyrics (“As Far as I’m Concerned”). Ultimately the album shines in totality as an example of growing up and questioning younger beliefs and activities, not throwing them away, but asking whether Truth and personal action truly align. By not giving easy answers (or even questions), Einer Stray Orchestra is inviting listeners to embark on their own journeys of self-exploration, not in search of what is easy and comfortable, but of what is really true and beautiful.
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