Tunnel Blanket
by This Will Destroy You
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 5 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
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  1. TheVillageDrunk
    May 17, 2011
    8
    This Will Destroy You's self-titled debut album was (is) a stunning achievement, a masterpiece of truly epic sounds & a shining example of the way the 'post-rock' (god I hate that label) sound can lift you up. In the four years since the band have released a couple of EP's which took admirable, deliberate steps away from the feel of that album (see last year's Moving On The Edges OfThis Will Destroy You's self-titled debut album was (is) a stunning achievement, a masterpiece of truly epic sounds & a shining example of the way the 'post-rock' (god I hate that label) sound can lift you up. In the four years since the band have released a couple of EP's which took admirable, deliberate steps away from the feel of that album (see last year's Moving On The Edges Of Things).

    Now Tunnel Blanket is here...& their willingness to go in different directions & look in un-easy places continues to impress me. For the most part the mood here, even in the ambient moments is much heavier, outright angry at times.

    Right out the gates, Little Smoke is a stand-out moment, after a quiet, un-settling intro the song explodes into an eventual primal howl of rage. It is not happy, but it is excellent. Communal Blood builds over eight minutes to an immense panorama, but again, it's not straightforward lift-you-up stuff, the feel is much more turbulent. Killed The Lord, Left For The New World has a more relaxed outlook & provides a necessary change of pace, as it washes over you, you'll almost feel optimistic again. Powdered Hand ends the album in an almost bittersweet way, & as I took in it's spoken voice-over about the probable truth behind the near-death white-light experience I thought maybe I understood...is there a tunnel leading to a white light? Will there be someone there when I die? Is this the equivalent of a child's comfort blanket? The reality of this world is always more uncomfortable than we want it to be.

    To sum up, in my opinion, Tunnel Blanket is a heavy, sometimes cold but ultimately truthful experience. It's not something I'll always be in the mood for hearing, but I think it's an important statement & I'm glad This Will Destroy You have made it.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 7
  3. Negative: 1 out of 7
  1. musicOMH.com
    Jun 15, 2011
    80
    It sounds odd for a genre like this, but Tunnel Blanket might be best approached with a shut-down brain, ignoring the tired qualms of originality, and just let the atmosphere envelop.
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  2. Filter
    May 25, 2011
    36
    Texas-based group This Will Destroy You is somewhere past the breakers, floating on a body of layered soundscapes and ambient atmosphere.
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  3. AllMusic
    May 17, 2011
    80
    Good proof that tranquil moments are just as powerful as deafening ones.
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