Background music. Those two words are my excuse to The PhiLL(er) and its lovely readers on why it’s taken me two months to write this little review…which is way too long for anyone to have to wait in order to read a review that is probably too short…ok I’m done now.

The Six Parts Seven are a mellow, post-rock indie band. Almost all of the stereotypical descriptions of post-rock can be aptly applied to The Six Parts Seven’s new album Everywhere And Right Here: atmospheric, steady-paced, varied instrumentation (that standard post-rock instrument the xylophone is frequently employed), and guitars with dreamily plucked chords. Everywhere and Right Here is simply superbly arranged instrumental music that creates a fuzzy, melancholy mood.

I’ve frequently chosen this album as my background music to my day to day routines: working, reading, walking around the city, even cleaning my apartment. However, every time I found myself trying to sit down and just listen to this album in order to write a review, I would always become distracted by some other task and let the music fade into the background.

Perhaps the reason for this is, while the album plays its post-rock sound to perfection, it lacks a certain sense of adventure to completely engage the listener. The songs all float along wonderfully, but nothing unexpected happens to surprise the listener.

But as annoying as this ‘background’ music quality is for me as someone trying to write a review of the album (and especially PhiLL who’s been waiting for this review forever), I really enjoy passively listening to these songs. The music’s unhurried, pretty sounds compliment whatever is going on around the listener. Whenever I go out and explore the sprawling buildings of nyc (my new home), Everywhere and Right Here makes me feel like I’m floating around in some sort of private movie. Background music yes, but nonetheless very enjoyable.