The Antlers made a pretty sad record. You’ve probably heard it: despite being one of the most unrelentingly despairing albums in recent memory, Hospice (2009) quickly transformed from a self-released bedroom project to one of the most lauded and loved records of the year, bringing the band a legion of new fans and sending the trio into bigger and bigger live venues. It’s a success story, but not a surprising one.
Yes, the concept album’s narrative focused on a doomed relationship between a hospice worker and a cancer patient. Still, head Antler (no pun intended) Peter Silberman crafted the tale with such precision and heart-wrenching detail that it was almost impossible to tear yourself away from the gloom. It also didn’t hurt that the music on the record matched the quality of his lyrics tit-for-tat, building and releasing at a perfect pace, equal parts post-rock sprawl and classic pop songcraft.