Record Review - Band of Horses: Infinite Arms

Off the bat, it’s clear that Infinite Arms, the new record from South Carolina festival favorites Band of Horses, is a different animal than the band’s two previous outings. Such songs as “Compliments” and “Laredo” feature a more streamlined rock sound than we’ve heard before from the group, and it’s reasonably inspired, if not totally original. The chamber-pop of “Blue Beard” nods to the Beach Boys and almost gets sticky-sweet. The title track is spacious and pretty with a rather memorable hook. Otherwise, there’s not that much to celebrate. The middle part of the record blends together in a long, forgettable run of acoustic guitars and cut-rate harmonies (not to mention the out-of-place “Dilly”). Take the five or so good tracks here and you’d have a swell EP. Unfortunately, Band of Horses kept on going, and Infinite Arms is therefore a bit of a drag. 2 out of 5 stars.