HOSPICE is the third release from singer-songwriter Peter Silberman under the recording name the Antlers. The album mines a similar vein of melancholic indie-folk as previously Antlers albums, outfitted with a full band and help from vocalist Sharon Van Etten. Silberman's vulnerable, falsetto voice is the perfect conduit for his vivid images and literate narratives of heartbreak and personal doubt, and he's no slouch as a maker of melodies either. These qualities make HOSPICE a stark, haunting, and ultimately compelling listen.
Professional Reviews
Spin (p.84) - "HOSPICE is packed with lofty choruses and extended instrumental passages....With emotional drama in abundance..."
Alternative Press (p.100) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "The group run through sparkling vocal melodies and shimmering guitars en masse, but it's all a post-rock setup for choice sections of perfect pop clarity."
CMJ - "[The storyline] inspired Silberman. His voice is impassioned and warm..."
Q (Magazine) (p.111) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "As plangent piano lines dissolve into seas of distortion, mood pieces such as 'Atrophy' introduce meditative wonderment..."
Clash (magazine) - "[A]n ebbing and flowing symphony of tender vocals and shoegazing guitar washes, expressing the narrative tension with admirable empathy..."