I fully intended to go to bed at a decent time, I really did. But the sounds of From Indian Lakes’ recently-released  Able Bodies pulled me in from the first gradual ascent of opener “Anything” and held me captivated for hours as the music perfectly filled the emptiness of early morning hours, and now sleep is nowhere in sight.

The entirety of the collection is so cohesive: lyrically, instrumentally, and in all of its extraordinary details. “Anything” provides a glimpse into the power of its successor, “We Are Sick,” which infuses punchy rhythms and heartfelt lyrics with sweet, drifting lulls aided by the silky guitar. This track seamlessly flows into “Paintings,” which turns the heat up at the end with chanting refrain insisting, “I think I wanted to get away.”

The latter half of the album holds several songs that starkly contrast with the raw vocals found in earlier songs, some of which border on yelling. “My Mouth, My Lips” shows itself to be distinctly plaintive in comparison, and brings the collection back down to an intimate level which allows for more attention to the careful percussive work and volume changes which make certain phrases sound like soft cotton whereas others are marked with a sharp edge. “Your Son” also has this effect with its expressive, acoustic melody sure to pique listeners’ emotions in the most authentic sense.

Able Bodies gathers up all its sharp edges, gentle hooks, and vulnerable subject matters and ties them together in a beautiful package. The variation keeps each track interesting and memorable while still staying in line with the rest of the songs. The crescendos stretch and the tempo shifts while the vocals range from barely-there phrasing to roaring refrains, but it gels together enough to be a definitive package that makes perfect sense at 3:00 a.m. or any other hour of the day.

Rating: 4/5