Track Listing

1. Prologue
2. Kettering
3. Sylvia
4. Atrophy
5. Bear
6. Thirteen
7. Two
8. Shiva
9. Wake
10. Epilogue

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1757 in Music
• Released on: 2009-08-18
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .16 pounds

Album Description
Beginning three years ago as a singer-songwriting project for PETER SILBERMAN, The Antlers have since expanded into a full three-piece, including powerhouse drummer Michael Lerner and the layer-lathering, multi-instrumentalist, Darby Cicci. Appropriately enough, "Hospice?s ten distinct chapters resonate on debilitating sonic and lyrical levels, from the hypnotic harp and tension-ratcheting build of "Two" to the singor- sink choruses of "Bear" and the speaker-rattling peaks of "Sylvia". Mastered by GREG CALBI who has worked with SONIC YOUTH, GRIZZLY BEAR, MGMT and PASSION PIT amongst many more, the sound on the album is hauntingly beautiful and the album will no doubt be heavily featured on many best of ?09 lists.

Customer Reviews

Perfect, absolutely perfect.
More than deserving of a 5/5. I literally give this album a 100%

This is a truly emotional and beautiful album. It seems to be a concept album, circling around someone's stay & ultimate death in a hospital. (Perhaps an abortion) &it really communicates all the emotion that comes along with that. Beautiful melodies and vocals that always seem heavy with sorrow, but just enough noise to express the helplessness and rage one would feel at someone's hospital bed.

Wake is the most beautiful song I've heard in a long time.

God, my words don't do this album justice. Just get it. You will be happy and sad and in awe and f***ing blown away.

The Antlers - Hospice
Hospice is by far one of the best debut albums of the year. Stylistically, it's hard to pin down exactly what it is they do so well. This is a lush, gorgeous pop album, but the instrumentation is so rich beyond the typical pop fare, and sonically, the balance favors high treble and bass to create something akin to shoegaze without going all the way into My Bloody Valentine territory. Many of the songs build to an emotional crescendo, which is fitting of the incredibly detailed, heart-wrenching lyrics. This is a record of love and death, and the gamut of emotions that go with those two greatest of human experiences. If you're not moved by the incredible singing and writing, I don't know what's wrong with you.

For me, the standouts are "Kettering," "Bear," and "Two." This isn't to say the whole album isn't great, because it is, but these are just my favorites on the record. "Kettering" starts out with a slow piano build, not unlike early Coldplay, but certainly more detailed and emotive, and it eventually reaches an incredible wash of sound and passion. "Bear" is an odd little song that starts out sounding like it won't go anywhere, but all of a sudden a full band worth of instruments kick in to back of the vocals, and the beauty of the track just erupts. "Two" is the most anthemic of the songs, revolving around the concept of duality. Truly though, this is a record meant to be heard on a whole, so do yourself a favor and set aside the time to give it a proper listen.

One of my top five albums of the year
Well, what can I say? I'm a sucker for these concept, narrative albums- even ones that aren't as masterful, atmospheric, well-worded, and balanced as this one- so how could I, seeing such a treasure being mostly ignored, refrain in all good consciousness from joining its meager, vocal appreciators' ranks?