There Be Monsters is the sophomore release from Portland, Oregon's Far Lands. Dropping on 30 April, the album finds Andy McFarlane, Ivan Howard, and Matt Drenik creating a quiet, contemplative series of songs that rewards deeper, meditative listening. Though the word "meditative" has been abused in ways that most often violate international treaties and frequently suggests music that slides from memory the way a speeding car slides off an ice-covered highway, the music created by Far Lands is deeply memorable, wholly resonant, and thoroughly impactful.
One can hear that on the titular piece, which most often recalls the rich, thoughtful material generated by the troubadours of the early 1970s. Lyrics and melodies reveal their full charms over repeated listenings while capturing our imaginations on the first spin.
What's different about Far Lands, though, is that this isn't an attempt to recapture some bygone era or echo the sounds of a particular Southern California canyon. This is music of its time and yet all time, a record that respects itself and refuses to be dressed up in ill-fitting clothes. It's hyperbole to say that there's nothing quite like this out there in the world, and yet Far Lands have carved out a space that is comfortable, familiar, and as inviting as the Pacific Northwest woods.