The Antlers (The Familiars) - Bent Hill Brewery (Flora of the Night)
The Familiars
As the album begins, Peter Silberman and company delicately introduces us to a realm of peace that is sometimes met with equal melancholy. A place where we can be hopeful, entertained, and mule over memories, both joyful and painful. The soft, enchanting piano and percussion is a beautiful opening to a masterpiece of an album from The Antlers. The optimistic view of the opening track, “Palace,” is something I repeatedly come back to. Not only does it pluck at the heartstrings, but, just like much of the album, it’s a song where I can close my eyes and lose myself for a few minutes. Silberman’s lyrics paint a picture of serenity and offers shelter for those who feel lost at times.
The Antlers
The Brooklyn Based band started as a solo lo-fi folk project quickly progressed into a colossal sounding chamber-pop group attracting critical acclaim from Pitchfork and others.
Flora of the Night
by Bent Hill Brewery
Flora of the Night, a Barrel-aged Dark Farmhouse Ale is an equally complicated and comforting beer to pair with The Familiars. Brewed by Vermont’s Bent Hill Brewery, this 7% ABV ale has a rich body with the inclusion of coffee. I got notes of coffee while the barrel age process made for a unique flavor. A tinge of sour on the palette complements this farmhouse ale.
Mesmerizing, relaxing, and comforting experience.
There’s a lot to unpack from the group’s writing that I could talk about for hours. For example, I adore the song, “Surrender.” It’s a soul-crushing track that both attempts to aid the listener in coming out of a dark place while also realizing that it’s never easy to do so. It’s just as easy to be comforted by a dark place as it is a place of warmth. These tracks keep a great balance of hope and darkness. The Antlers want to be here to soothe us and to not judge those who have past or present pains that they just can’t shake. The performances throughout create a very mesmerizing, relaxing, and comforting experience. The drones of the guitar, light cymbals of percussion, the horns, and more offer a place to relax when one needs to breathe. As Silberman sings, “We have to make our history less demanding.”
Flora of the Night, a Barrel-aged Dark Farmhouse Ale is an equally complicated and comforting beer to pair with The Familiars. Brewed by Vermont’s Bent Hill Brewery, this 7% ABV ale has a rich body with the inclusion of coffee. I got notes of coffee while the barrel age process made for a unique flavor. A tinge of sour on the palette complements this farmhouse ale. With every sip, I was picking up on different flavors, and I think that’s the great thing about beers. They sometimes offer truly different flavors that make them stand out. It’s a brew that you need to sip and take your time with to enjoy. As you lose yourself listening to The Familiars and Flora of the Night, remember that things may never be easy, but there is hope and comfort if you look for it.
