POSTCARD ELBA

It’s music that evokes cinematic images. Slow panning across landscapes. A sepia drenched sunset on the plains. A grainy black and white moonrise over a forest. There is much movement and color on For Their Love, the 2020 release from Other Lives. This is the fourth from the Oklahoma indie rock band. They recorded this one in remote Oregon, on Cooper Mountain, and it’s no surprise the production reflects that distance and isolation. It’s a record with warm acoustic guitar and piano chords that can have you feeling peacefully at home, then whisk you away to where jangly, electric guitars, and booming choirs reverberate off canyon walls, reminiscent of westerns. Melodies and layers are delivered beautifully by a whole host of instrumentation, from timpani and castanets, to strings and brass. Led by the mournful voice of Jesse Tabish, the songwriting is enigmatic without being complex. Leaving lyrical interpretations open to the listener, to write whatever script they like over the score, to envision shadowy figures moving in and out of frame, and over horizons.