Two years after a moderately successful third album, indie rock group Band of Horses have released their fourth, “Mirage Rock.” Fans still yearning for the plaintive and personal melodies that defined the group’s debut, “Everything All the Time,” will be disappointed by this release, which lacks tenderness and memorability. It is hard to believe that the group responsible for the mournful insight of famed song “The Funeral” is now churning out lines such as “You leave me more damaged every day / you took my entire world and threw it all away,” which come across as whiny, not wistful. The album still contains the band’s iconic slow, rhythmic sounds, and it gains some thoughtfulness with songs “Slow Cruel Hands of Time” and “Long Vows,” but these moments are overshadowed by the listlessness that rules the rest of the album. With “Mirage Rock,” Band of Horses have drifted further from the starry–eyed sense of wonder that characterized their initial efforts.
1.5/5 Stars
