One Track Mind

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There is something ghostly about the act of recording music, something about the permanence lent to ephemeral sounds which otherwise would have simply dissolved into the ether. Like a dead star whose light reaches us billions of years after its demise, recordings linger on intact long after their notes have been issued.

Lest you think I’ve suddenly taken to waxing philosophical about the fleeting and experiential nature of songs, you should know that these ideas are inextricably bound to the upcoming third album by Athens, Georgia’s Venice is Sinking. Sand & Lines (subtitled The Georgia Theatre Sessions) is a collection of ten tracks from the dreamy, chamber-pop act, comprised of a mix of original compositions and nods to favorites like Galaxie 500 and Waylon Jennings.

However, this isn’t your typical studio outing. The songs here were recorded live at The Georgia with only two microphones and were not overdubbed or modified in any fashion (save for a bit of mastering). As a result, what is documented on Sand & Lines is truly a crystallized moment, not merely of the band’s session but also of the venue’s unique acoustic properties. As with Venice is Sinking’s performance, The Georgia Theatre is now gone, too–the victim of a fire which razed the historic venue on June 19, 2009. The ghosts on this record are numerous, from the melodies which once haunted the air to the very grounds themselves, and the lack of a formal audience adds to the eeriness throughout and suggests the band is playing solely for the listener’s benefit.

“Falls City” is the sixth song captured during the band’s set, its two microphone configuration emphasizing the composition’s cavernous, melancholy sensibilities. Still, if one didn’t know that the recording had been captured live and in its particular venue, chances are the track would easily be mistaken for a studio production. Despite its languorous tempo and slow burning strings, “Falls City” has a gently uplifting arc thanks in part to some fiery organ and the male/female vocal interplay. It is less concerned with movement than mood, which it has in spades–a thick, velvety aura whose embrace is subtle yet gripping. Fans of Red House Painters, The Delgados, or American Music Club would be well advised to give Venice is Sinking a spin.