They’re back! Thank god!
You’ve gotta understand, Cymbals Eat Guitars is my band. I got their debut record way back in early 2010 after reading about it somewhere, and immediately fell in love. Then, the very next week, Los Campesinos! (my favorite band) announced that Cymbals would be supporting on their North American tour. I’ve seen Cymbals two more times since then, never in a headlining slot, unfortunately. They had a midday slot at Lolla 2010, and then opened for The Thermals later that year.
Finally, when they get big enough to go on a headlining tour of their own, the Chicago show is 21+. Oh well, thus is life.
Anyway, if you liked their last record, you’ll like this one too. Similarly, if you didn’t like their last record (you soulless bastard), you won’t like this one either. Lenses is ten more tracks of that trademark Oberst-on-acid indie rock. There’s a tad more production value this time around, probably because the pigs sold out and signed to a label. The lyrics are still profound and perhaps a little too deep for me, and most of the fuzz that made that debut so charming has been retained.
Like it’s predecessor, though, Lenses does fall flat at points. For some reason, they decided to open the record with the track where this is most evident. It’s the first single, too. I don’t understand band management sometimes.
Rifle Eyesight (Proper Name) is 8 minutes and 31 seconds long, fairly boring, and not representative of Cymbals at all. Why they didn’t lead with Definite Darkness—a, dare I say it, beautiful track that hits on every Cymbals strong suit—is beyond me. It’s got rhythm changes, that irresistible keyboard organ at the forefront, and a whole lot of soul. It’s what this band is all about, and better showcases how excellent and innovative Cymbals Eat Guitars is.
On an unrelated note, the halfway point of this project is tomorrow…or today, depending on how well you remember your significant digits. Look out for something special this weekend.
Swole Ear 
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