Cemeteries: Wilderness

Cemeteries The Wilderness was a record of intent. The man behind it all, Kyle J. Reigle, kept finding inspiration beyond the trappings of his Cleveland apartment in woods nearby. This sense of naturalism informs almost every crevice of Wilderness. Its structures are sprawling, its tone is warm and open, and above all, it never aims to be anything more than what it is. That lack of ambition and willingness to let the rural aesthetic play out only hampers the record if you don’t find yourself giving it the attention it deserves. While some of the songs on Wilderness do drag on a little too long, it’s not enough of a hindrance to take the listener out of the experience. This is a very solid effort from a composer who’s got his mechanics figured out and now has to find new ways to expand them.