I Am Not The Crow

Twelve months in the making, and recorded in Canada and Ireland, the intriguingly titled third album from Limerick five-piece Windings – who describe themselves as a rock/alt/pop/indie/folk band (must get exhausting!) – is an impressively artful affair.
Of its eight tracks, the first four were recorded in Montreal’s Hotel2Tango with producer Efrim Menuck (GodspeedYou!BlackEmperor), the rest in Donegal with studio stalwart Tommy McLaughlin. While it’s well-paced and gels nicely, it’s still very much a record of two halves, bookended by a brace of epics. Lengthy opening track ‘Sun In My Bones’ starts off a straightforward pop song before segueing into a classic Neil Young-style guitar workout. Seven-minute album closer ‘Local Broken Man’ is a sonically shimmering end-piece that makes you want to immediately play the whole album again.
Mostly recorded live, Winding’s more menacing side is showcased on ‘Alkaterian Are Alright’ and the Cure-influenced ‘This Is A Conversation’. The title track is lively and intense, and features feedback that throbs rather than wails. ‘Cleaner’ (which features a telling refrain of ‘blinded by sound’) and ‘In Need Of Some Repair’ slow the pace before the atmospheric ending.
The band started off in 2005 as a casual side-project for songwriter Steve Ryan (of Giveamanakick ). It has evolved into something more serious.