I’ve berated worship bands for a lack of originality many times in the past. So I’m glad to see a group like the Parachute Band trying something different, and at the same time I’m sad that they don’t really pull it off. If you trust this album’s press release (and Wikipedia), then Matins and Vespers are a sort of ancient prayer ritual, taking place at sunrise and sundown. That concept informs the album, with the first disc full of more traditional modern worship while the second disc contains meditative instrumentals.

The songs are perhaps a little more atmospheric and electronic than in the past. Unfortunately, other than “Promises,” the songs on the first half of the album don’t come close to matching the group’s previous output. They just don’t get off the ground. Then the second half is, frankly, boring. The instrumentals are all slow-building keyboard pads, aiming for Sigur Ros territory but not getting close. I respect the Parachute Band for trying something inventive, but they’ve overreached themselves on Matins: Vespers.

Two and a half stars out of five