Westchester-formed quartet Moving Mountains have released an admirable attempt at a sophomore record. Dark, brooding and powerful, Waves, produced in the home of front-man Gregory Dunn, must be applauded first for its impressively huge sound.

Moving Mountains have been in the game for the past six years but only began to gain noticeable coverage in 2008 with the release of EP Foreword. Whilst offering plenty of drive and emotion, Foreword was not for the easy-listener, consisting of four tracks, none of which last fewer than seven minutes. On Waves, Dunn appears to have reassessed what it takes to gain success in a musical world where band can be judged based on a 30-second clip on iTunes.

In a recent interview Dunn admitted “we’re trying to bring that post-rock/ambient sound to more of a mainstream audience,” an effort that is immediately obvious on opener “My Life is Like a Chase Dream (And I’m Still Having Chase Dreams).” The song most likely channels Dunn’s frustration that his band’s attempt to bring something more experimental to the rock table was under-recognized while a serene build-up explodes into pummelling drums and heavy guitars. This instrumental wall of sound is complemented by Dunn’s ability to switch between loose, soothing vocals and hard-hitting sing-screams, which polishes the song perfectly.

The stand-out track of the album is discovered early on. It comes as no shock that this song, “Where Two Bodies Lie,” is the single chosen to promote Waves, adding to the sound of the opener with an atmospheric string section and an epic chorus that captivates listeners in the exact way Moving Mountains have aimed to with this record. “Always Only For Me” exemplifies Dunn and Frank Graniero’s (guitar, vocals), ability to lay intricate guitar riffs that gradually result in colossal crescendos. Waves ends strongly, with “Furnace Woods” conjuring images of some sort of science-fiction outer-space battle and “Full Circle” bringing us right back to where this album began.

Dunn could be criticised for his inability to find and settle on a unique vocal style, echoing the sounds of Switchfoot frontman Jon Foreman one minute and Deryck Whibley of Sum 41 the next. In contrast, the lack of difference between the instrumentals, if you fall foul of a concentration lapse, can lead you to believe you’re listening to the same track ten times in a row.

Ultimately Waves offers an impressive endeavour to condense the sprawling climatic journey that defines post-rock into a user’s manual for those of us who aren’t willing to sit and listen to four minutes of what Dunn himself describes as “ambient filler”. If you give Moving Mountains a chance, you won’t be disappointed.

***/*****

*This review was composed by Ramsey Marwan