Tomb is a record of heartbreak that never wallows, a reflection on loss that does not allow itself to become stuck in the past, and resolutely optimistic at its core. What we find here, on what is arguably the pinnacle of his output to date, is De Augustine achieving the beautiful balance between introspection and grandeur; straddling the place where pain and hope intersect.
Tomb is truly meant for everyone with a personal ax to grind. Retrospection rules.
What we end up with here is Angelo De Augustine’s most brazen step forward to date. Tomb sees him not buried, but bursting forth with flourishing atmospheres. By nature his music is still very soft-spoken – almost Elliott Smith-like in that regard – but this is no longer the crackly, static-bound lo-fi songwriter that gave us Spirals of Silence and Swim Inside The Moon.
While the title suggests De Augustine's third full-length album is full of sepulchral tones, Tomb has a lightness to it. De Augustine is immersed in love throughout, so while he's working through tough stuff, we are ultimately left with the feeling that De Augustine is growing stronger and that love will bloom again.
This is a remarkable, quietly powerful, and astoundingly beautiful album from an artist who now deserves to take his place among his influences.
Rather than allowing grief or bitterness to well up and overwhelm him, he instead uses his music as a vehicle to not only cope, but to also find some sense of reconciliation. On that end, Tomb doesn’t compartmentalize any lingering sense of doubt or despair so much as it comes to terms with those feelings, giving De Augustine some much-needed perspective and the chance to embrace the brighter possibilities that lie ahead.
By adding cleaner production, synth and string flourishes alongside poppier and catchier refrains, De Augustine largely hits the mark on Tomb. With a few curveballs thrown throughout, the warm and comforting lull of Swim Inside the Moon is long gone, replaced by a fascinating record that updates his prior work without losing any of its intimacy.
Despite being his most polished full-length to date, Tomb shows him at his most candid and introspective.
#100 FAVOURITE ALBUM OF THE 2010S
Now, I can understand if the similarities to Sufjan Stevens brings this album down, That's completely acceptable. I can not deny the similarities, and this is far from a perfect album. Very very, Very far. Some moments here feel unnecessary and a lot of the songwriting can feel uncomfortable at times, and the production choices like the drum on "I Could Be Wrong" can even ruin the actual beauty beneath it. But that aside, this album is great.
This ... read more
An album i actually missed in 2019. So glad, i decided to check it out. yes the element of Sufjan Stevens are there but for me Angelo has enough distinctive in sound and lyrics to separate himself from the god of folk, and sets his own sound of beautifully lush melodies and a nice soothing voice with lyrics which become more introspective the further down the record. Honestly, a great record and I wonder what he'll do next.
Track Review
Tomb 8.5/10
All to the Wind 8/10
You Needed Love, I ... read more
Surely I was having deep thoughts 'bout my takes in some of the tracks that brought me into life's emotion from denial to acceptance. Through the wise pick of music choice has Angelo ever created was indeed by far close to ethereal that depicts a metaphor of someone's life.
"One's existence becomes real only by acquiring identity".
By forging the oath, you have to be born in order to forget. It hints for what love and burden can do, Like in that one track "A Good Man's ... read more
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