No. 66: The Antlers

The Antlers are not exactly what you'd call an uplifting band. The Brooklyn-based group plays soft, powerful songs that toy with your emotions. The band's 2009 release, Hospice, was one of my top 5 albums last year; I love it. But again, it's definitely not an uplifting collection of songs by any means. Hospice is a concept album centering around the pain caused by the death/loss of a loved one.

Listening to the album feels like reading a book or watching a movie. A sad one. You feel the singer's emotions that include guilt, sorrow, and a hint of hope. Singer Peter Silberman has a great voice, but behind the lyrics is also great music. The keyboards enhance the eerie tones -- almost similar to the eerie songs on Radiohead's Kid A. Highlights of this album include "Kettering," "Two," and "Wake."

Despite my appreciation for The Antlers, I'm not sure I can award them must-see status at Lollapalooza. From concert reviews I've read, the group sounds to be as emotional on stage as on their records. I just don't know how this tone would fit in a large-festival setting. I have the feeling their quieter songs could easily be drowned out by other stages. However, I am excited to check them out and hope they prove that theory wrong.

Antlers on MySpace

Here's video of a series of songs from a Washington DC concert. It sounds pretty good, which makes me a little more optimistic for their Lolla show.