Seeing the “devotional” tag sneak back to the top of Grails‘ Bandcamp list, one knows to expect another shift. Since 2003, the chameleonic band has kept fans interested in their every move, while two individual members have thrown curveballs under the guise of Lilacs and Champagne.
So if lead single “Silver Bells,” which launches in a tape wobble and seems like a modern Sufi service, may remind listeners of another song of that name, it’s no coincidence; the title of the album, after all, is Miracle Music, and the cover seems to portray supplicants holding hands, bowed in prayer.
“Silver Bells” doesn’t take long to develop into a hypnotic post-rock piece, featuring a wall of beats and guitars, supplemented by Eastern ornamentation. It’s tempting to think that…