Pillars and Tongues—part symphony orchestra, part gospel choir? Sure sounds like it. In truth though, the band modestly boasts only a violin, some double bass and percussion wielded by Elizabeth Remis, Evan Hydzik and Mark Trecka respectively. A majority of the tracks off their latest EP, “Lay of Pilgrim Park,” are sparse in lyrics, and the ones that do have them are unintelligible for the most part. But the charm lies in Trecka’s deep, echoing baritone, which is complemented by Remis’s soft backing vocals.
Songs like “The Center Of” and “Made Sheen” are interspersed with reverberating chanting and repetition of the words “you are the center” and “made sheen.” This draws the listeners in almost hypnotically, setting the mood for the entire album.
Pillars and Tongues, who return to Grinnell for the third time, will be playing in Herrick Chapel tonight at 9 p.m., with opener Land of Blood and Sunshine. Hailing from Marshalltown, Iowa, Land of Blood and Sunshine’s nine-song LP “Magick Carcass Ride” flutters between an outwardly apparent pop music vibe and an underlying serene darkness—evident in tracks like “The Depth Of Charm” and “Tale Of A Tapeworm.” This combination of artistic enterprises bodes well for a night of a both exciting and yet quietly impressive musical experience.