Week four of the Minor Stars Listening Party brings us to part two of the nine-and-a-half minute epic Mirror/Black Lake. Black Lake itself is a four-part schizophrenic instrumental, beginning with a frenetic drum fill and some classic rock riffin’, then imploding on itself into a heavier reprise of Mirror‘s intro (complete with the only appearance of fretboard tapping on the album — yes!). As the drums fall away, enter about eight layered droning guitars for a short meditative break from the action before launching into what we affectionately refer to as “Nessie’s Theme,” the slow, sludgy, guitarmony-laden conclusion to this psychedelic epic. As Chris’s solo slowly builds and winds its way to the climactic and triumphant harmonized guitar theme, you can almost see the faint silhouette of Nessie’s long neck emerging from the dark, murky water and heavy fog.
— Eric
