The Wind and The Sea

Phillip Reed of local rookies The Wind and The Sea says that the "elevator pitch" in regard to what the band identifies as in regard to genre is "ambient alternative." To that end, The Wind and The Sea's debut EP, "No Evil," is sui generis to a Columbus scene that rarely dabbles in the same epic, atmospheric guitars found on songs like "Aging" and "Plants." Boasting a sultry post-rock stadium attitude, the group exist somewhere neatly between Radiohead and Muse, with enough ethereal tricks and electro-pulses to give them fitting among similar buzz bin shoegazers in the modern era." - 614 Magazine

Columbus' The Wind and The Sea have the kind of dramatic, nautical name that wouldn't be out of place on your local metal core bill. Luckily, that is far from what we're dealing with here. To be honest, I can't remember an EP that has sounded more different with each listen than "No Evil", so I'll do my best to describe it if you do your best to believe me. Across 5 tracks, The Wind and The Sea effectively make soaring, post-rock-fueled grunge sound almost soulful. The project is impossibly cohesive as it manages to pull off slight hints at Radiohead and Kurt Vile (yes, Kurt Vile) without reproducing any of their sounds. More impressive than their ability to weather the sea of genres they've chosen to incorporate, however, is their musicianship. "No Evil" is a wondrously dark and dynamic EP made by very skilled musicians. You have to hear it to believe it. - The Alternative

There’s a sense of foreboding that remains present throughout the entirety of No Evil, the debut EP from experimental ambient rockers/shoegazers The Wind and the Sea. The band thrives in this aura of mysteriousness – evidence by their repeated pleas for Ace of Cups to kill the house lights at the start of their EP release show.

“Aging” forces the mood of mystery on the listener from the get go, culminating in a thrilling crescendo that ends all too soon. As many others have said, the band explores questions of faith, philosophy, and life in general in a way that teeters between quiet contemplation and desperation, but avoids dogma.

There’s also a sense of impending explosiveness that is held back by some unseen force. Having seen the band live numerous times I definitely get that sense while watching drummer Joseph Crabtree. We are afforded glimpses of ferocity but we never venture into outright reckless abandon. “Father/Mother” does get close toward the end before cutting short, which shows us that band has found a formula of sorts – stopping the climb into the storm clouds short of outright chaos. “Riddling'” utilizes this technique in perhaps the most thrilling way, with its eerie chords and catchy drumming. Whenever I listen to a record and I find myself really vibing with it, I tend to want to act out the rhythm section and air drum (all this in spite of my lack of formal training in this area. Sidenote: I took piano lessons as a kid and I was complimented on my syncopation. Hmm.). I bring this up because I want to move the most when listening to this song. The rhythm section becomes more restrained, albeit in a post-rock method, in “Plants.” This is also the song that most highlights Phil Reed’s vocals.

The title track No Evil is my least favorite of the five (though still enjoyable) yet presents the most tangible sense of a journey on the record. It is also the song that the band has been concluding their sets with live. The band reaches a pensive peak here, and also gets to its loudest point as the EP concludes.

The Wind and the Sea have been in the Tuned Up consciousness for years now, and it has been a pleasure to follow the journey. Hopefully you’ll check out No Evil and join us. - Tuned Up