Zitat:The amount of attention that Russian Circles has been able to garner in their short existence has been quite impressive. Despite only one previous full-length, 2006s Enter, the trio has excelled by combining post-rock melodies, energetic climaxes, and a mixture of creative drumming and guitar loops, quickly placing them along side bands with far more experience. Such a sudden rise to underground notoriety sets the stage for the familiar scenario of weighty expectations being placed upon a bands follow-up record. Luckily, Station is packed with many trademark Russian Circles moments (if, of course, a band this young can do such a thing), and has enough quality content to dispel any notions of a sophomore slump.

On paper, Station advertises two major improvements for the group. First and foremost, the addition of Brian Cook (of Botch and These Arms are Snakes) on bass for the records recording brings a higher level of musical versatility and experience. The album also displays a much cleaner and stronger production job than that of Enter. Mike Sullivans knack for writing beautifully captivating guitar melodies that easily transition into organized outbursts wasnt fully captured by the bands last recording, thus making this production upgrade all the more fulfilling.

It isnt hard to recognize abundance of well-executed instrumental rock moments in Station. The organic layers of "Campaign" provide a soothing introduction, while the metallic riffs of "Harper Lewis" remind the listener of Russian Circles rock foundation and wide range of influences. The title track offers the discs most rewarding instrumental builds, as driving drumming allows the song to hit numerous dynamic swells. And the melodic guitar lines in the midsection of "Verses" display Explosions in the Sky-like capabilities of emotive musicianship.

Yet one pervasive characteristic greatly limits the success of Station: the misuse of momentum. Far too many times does this record lay the foundation for fantastic instrumental climaxes, only to shift the direction of the track, squandering its build-up. "Campaign" invests three and a half minutes of atmospheric layers and increasing drum presence on a disappointing return to subtle melodies. "Youngblood" progresses into periods of Pelican-esque metallic riffing and strong drumming only allow the track to meander back to the softer side at around the three minute mark. Russian Circles creative mix of instrumental influences is certainly one of the records strong points, but at many times it just feels like the band has forgotten the gratifying nature of a well executed climax. All of the ingredients are there, and a lot of the individual parts are nothing short of stellar, but these elements fail to be utilized to produce the most rewarding listen. The result is a wealth of excellent individual moments, but an overall product that often feels slightly boring and underdeveloped. Despite this, Station is still a solid record and should definitely be of interest to fans of the band and of the instrumental rock genre.

Bottom Line: The addition of Brian Cook on bass and a huge production improvement make it difficult to ignore Russian Circles second full-length, Station. Its packed with a variety of well-executed instrumental moments, ranging from beautiful melodies to energetic metallic rock, and although the songwriting direction might feel less than gratifying at times, Station is still a quality example of what the band has to offer.