It’s difficult to talk about influences or genres with Pillars and Tongues, and almost as hard to talk about their sound. The band uses simple, traditional elements but aims for something unique. Some songs feature just the voices of the three members; the rest of the time, they limit themselves to violin, a little double bass, and various percussion instruments. Recording much of their material live, their antecedents are as modern as drone and as old as early American folk, though with the latter they're often stretching the definition of the genre.
It helps that percussionist and singer Mark Trecka has a deep, sonorous baritone that can carry the long notes-- and there are many in the vocal-only opener "Root/Joy"-- with a wizened authority. The band uses vocals almost like stringed instruments, which become even more noticeable when violins are added to their chanting. Though its lyrics are sparse, "The Center Of" adds thick atmosphere via slow, reveberating percussion and the acrobatic vocal of violinist and singer Beth Remis (think the Dirty Projectors' female singers in half-time). Whether the band is chanting, thumbing a double bass, or shaking marimbas, it's hard to believe Lay of Pilgrim Park is the work of just three people in the same room, and their roles are so fluid it's hard to pick out where one member's contributions start and another ends. The album's abrupt changes, deliberate silences, and movements rather than verses and choruses feel almost more classical than folk (or jazz, or indie, or anything else they might be considered).
Though the wordless and percussion-less tracks sometimes can seem meandering and incidental, they add context to a tightly focused album-length piece. Part of what's exciting about the melody on the 12-minute "Park Saint and Folly" is that it resolves all the tense, hanging melodies that lead up to it. Still, the songs with more instrumentation and melodic drive are the clear highlights. "Made Sheen" doubles down on the percussion and repeats its title to hypnotic effect, and "Park Saint and Folly" builds from a solo string part into something layered and more purposeful-- even introducing a bassline in its ninth minute that’s almost funky. The malleability Pillars and Tongues introduce to more rigid, traditional forms of music should be really exciting-- at times it is-- but usually they're merely quietly impressive rather than visceral, so what could be thrilling often feels more like a museum piece.
