Hurricane Bells
Tides and Tales - INVISIBLE BRIGADES
FILTER Grade: 80%

Steve Schiltz has put over a decade of work into his band Longwave. But a few bars of noodling on a laptop in his basement would gain him exponentially more notoriety in far less time. These bars became the epic stroll-on music for teen vampire heartthrob Edward Cullen in the second film of the Twilight series. (Don’t hold it against him—even Bon Iver did that soundtrack.) Now Hurricane Bells (a band created to play the tracks Schiltz had piling up on the side) has produced two full-length releases. This sophomore effort, Tides and Tales, maintains a focus on vocals over instrumental complexities. The record taps a vast array of influences, leapfrogging from synthy Britpop to melancholy shoegaze. Standouts include “Flowers in the Dirt” and “House on Fire.” The mainstream crossover is clear, as much of the album is prime background material for film and/or TV—but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.