This album is the best thing I've heard since the Shins' Chutes Too Narrow. Praise does not get any higher than that. Simply stunning.

I at first dismissed BoH as a weak knock off of other bands, but I have to say that they proved me wrong. This is a strong album that is fun to listen to. And I now admit going back to their first album, it is much better than I initially thought. Their songs and albums are short, but they are tight and melodic. I actually like that this album, and their previous one, is strong throughout, without weaker songs added simply to extend the length. They do write much more "pop" songs than other "indie" bands, and I expect BoH has much more mainstream appeal because of this, but that's not always a bad thing.

Much like Supertramp...I thought they were good musicians and decent vocalists. Lyrically, to me, there is nothing new here. There is the usual post-Nirvana slamming over the head with cymbals and driving digitized guitar tones that try to convince us that they have balls. They don't. The vocalist is effective but, he reminds me so much of Roger Hodgson from early-Supertramp, that I can't get past it.
I really, really, wanted to enjoy this CD. (Still do). Maybe it will grow on me. But for now, I'm not into it at all.
I've heard it all before. In so many places and arenas.

This is EXACTLY the same thing as REO Speedwagon -- except with beards and an updated fashion sense. This is not 'indie' in any sense of the word, it is mainstream in every way. The best thing about B0H tour was that they brought Cass McCombs and Band on several U.S. dates. Band of Horses aren't evil or anything, just not particularly interesting, either.

First up I'm not a huge indie rock fan...I'm not even sure what the definition of indie rock is other than you can't be on a major record label. Anyway, to the review. This is an excellent CD. Most of the tunes are slow or mid-tempo but that's cool. Songs like "Is There a Ghost" and "No Ones Gonna Love You" have a haunting, dreamlike quality to them. "The General Specific" sounds like backporch bluegrass. "Marry Song" is a nice bluesy number. "Window Blues" is just a flat out beautiful ballad. All in all a very solid release.

I found this band listening to Sirius Ch 18 The Spectrum and heard No One's Gonna Love You. I listen to so much music it's a complete thrill to come across a band you've never heard of. The song was awesome. I took a leap and bought the CD and was transported back nearly 20 years to when you got a cassette full of really great songs and could listen to the first song on side 1 and continue all the way through the last song on side 2. Great CD by a great band. Can't wait to listen to what they have planned next!

I enjoyed the album, I didn't hear anything as good as 'The Funeral' off the first album, but it's a toe-tapper for sure.

A very strong original band, this CD is perhaps their shinning hour....as one reviewer mentioned regarding REO Speedwagon, it's true moreso on this CD that you can hear bits of the influence, and it works brilliantly with the band's sound. You should also check out the new Poi Dog Pondering '7' CD.........

Love this album! Love the southern roots that tap you on your shoulder when you least expect it. I love that "Cease to Begin" has been so warmly embrassed. Cannot wait to see what Band of Horses are gonna do next....

Great Cd, every track is fun to listen to and most of them sound pretty different from each other. My favorites: the General Specific, Ode to LRC, No Ones Gonna Love You, Detlef Schrempf, Is There a Ghost. This band has a unique sound the lyrics to the music are good too. I would suggest buying it. I also like this album more than their first.

Band of Horses seems to be the person at the party people are asking about the following morning. Sure, they were noticed, but nobody got formally introduced. Band of Horses seem to be showing up more and more, mingling with pop, indie, folk and the whole time mixing in a soft rock serenade that blends in thoughtful, prophetic lyrics like the track "No One's gonna love you" to edgier, catchy beats like "Ode to LRC" and "Cigarettes, Wedding Bands". The sophomore release seems to come under mixed recollections of value, much like the mysterious stranger at the party the night before.

If anything brings them to the forefront with the album "Cease to Begin", it can be found in the first track of "Is there a Ghost", which is a song that stays steady and strong while introducing a haunting feel that does not negatively counter the sweet, high notes of vocalist Ben Bridwell. A chamber pop persona resonates with lush, harmonious tones on songs like "Marry Song" and "The General Specific".

Gene Simmons of Kiss once said something to the effect that they didn't want to look like the neighbors next door, hence hinting to doing something to look different than the norm. Many might have missed giving a full, detailed description of the mysterious stranger that next day, but if what is coming out of the speakers when playing this album is true, appearances won't matter. Band of Horses seems to be stronger than many bands in this musical fly by night gauntlet of a music industry one experiences today, with talent and passion making for a much more interesting and full album. The songwriting is perhaps the most interesting element of all, mixing in varying subjects and themes.

I have to say, in a day and age where many bands spend nine out of ten songs telling us how dire the economy is, that the world revolves around oil or that war can be a bad thing (seriously, tell us something we don't know), its nice that a band can sound more universal and imaginative without directly quoting the latest headline from CNN. Welcome the stranger with open arms the next time they return, even if they comes back with a stampede.

-Leo Navarr-

"Cease to Begin" lives up to its praise from Rolling Stone, Amazon, and other quality music sources. Easily among the five best CDs I purchased this past year.

It's hard to seriously defend a lyricist who pencils in "The world is such a wonderful place .... la de da" and decides to leave the harebrained sentiment in the final mix. I'm hoping it was sarcasm, but my gut tells me it was probably mushrooms. Anyway, let's move on. Ben Bridwell's voice is as appealing as when his sweet nothings first graced my ears, but it's not as focused. And the music lacks enthusiasm -- sans "Is There a Ghost," a beautiful morsel that in a mere three minutes sums up the romantic pageantry of loneliness. The music seems more concerned with evoking atmosphere than slapping down some Rock 'N' Roll. And I think somebody turned the guitar amp dial to 1. "Everything All the Time" came out with its chest puffed up, ready to take a swing at any doubters. Take "The General Specific" on this outing for instance: Keyboardist Ryan Monroe pecks at the same two keys over and over while somebody else constantly claps. It sounds like something from an awkward talent show at junior high summer camp. Ultimately, "Cease" does just that -- and is quickly forgotten. It's not bad, it's just beneath this band's ability.

I got hooked up to this album by way of it appearing on a few best of '07 lists, and I nearly skipped checking it out because I thought the lead singer's falsetto voice would drive me crazy after a few tracks. I was right- it did drive me crazy, but not in a bad way. Haunting, beautiful melodies and very intricate songwriting and music making, this has quickly become one of my favorites. Yes, it's weird (wierd?) but this is an album not to miss.

a haunting yet lovely voice and great music to back it up. "No One's Gonna Love You" is such a stand out for me. if you're a fan of good indie rock, check them out.

I found this CD to be a good mixture of the bands the Shins and Arcade Fire with a mix of what their own style. I have to say, there were 2 country sounding songs that made me bring it down to 4 stars instead of 5, but overall this is an amazing album.

The opening track of Band of Horses' new release, "Is There a Ghost," was one of the few tracks that I actively sought out after hearing it on the radio. I was immediately hooked on this band's sound, a sound that was familiar but entirely new.

Band of Horses was formed by Ben Bridwell and Mat Brooke in 2004 Seattle. They're currently signed to Sub Pop Records, a Seattle-based independent label which also manages The Shins, Iron & Wine, and The Postal Service. BoH started out opening for Iron & Wine, and on the cusp of their October 2007 release they started playing their own, packed, giant shows.

Their popularity is merited. Cease to Begin is a notable improvement upon their debut Everything All the Time: It is more straightforward, more refined, more likeable. Lead singer Bridwell's voice had me confused upon first listen, thinking I was hearing a new MMJ track, as his voice is sometimes identical to Jim James's (especially in the reverb-soaked stuff James is so well-known for), only less dark and more pop-friendly. They sound like an amalgamation of My Morning Jacket, The Shins, and a little Coldplay. Their myspace bio claimes that "Band of Horses' woodsy, dreamy songs ooze with amorphous tension, longing and hope," and this is very true.

"Is There a Ghost," beginning with slow anticipation, builds into some powerful stuff, while the next three are very beautiful indie-pop songs about loss that are ironically optimistic. I've gotten into the habit of listening only to the first four songs--which are undoubtedly the strongest--but the rest of the album is quite good. The twangier "The General Specific" and the more upbeat "Island on the Coast" would fit perfectly on a Shins album, while "Marry Song" suggests an attempt at singer-songwriter-ism (MMJ, I&W), but suffers from being too repetitive and not seemingly heartfelt. "Cigarettes Wedding Bands" is another rocker, which sports a catchy chorus, and the closer "Windows Blues" is another slow song, which works much better, since they don't play around with harmonies which allows Bridwell's voice to shine through. It's a quick listen, at only 35 minutes, but it's definitely repeat-friendly.

Cease to Begin; Band of Horses' second album. It's truly an amazing album, and shows improvement over Everything All The Time. Don't get me wrong, Everything All The Time was a great album, with songs such as Wicked Gil, Our Swords, The Funeral, The Great Salt Lake, and St. Augustine. I enjoyed every song on that album.

However, in Cease to Begin, it seems BoH has really found their style, and did it right. With songs such as the astounding Islands on the Coast, No One's Gonna Love You, Detlef Schrempf, and Is There a Ghost?, you really want to go back and listen to them again. This album really isn't one you'd want just one song from, every single one is beautifully done, and if you want to listen to one, you'd enjoy the others equally.

Excellent album, 5/5 stars. Band of Horses has done a brilliant job, and I look forward to what they come up with next. But at the rate they're going, I can already say that I'll be one of the fist in line when their next album is released.

I bought this CD after reading great reviews and descriptions for it in both Esquire and Blender magazines. I will give it two thumbs up.

this is excellent. It plays non-stop in my car and I never grow tired of it.

One of the best of 2007. May take a couple of trips through the playlist before your realize it, but this album will sneak up on you. Before you know it, it will take up permanent residence in your CD changer.
First four tracks are very strong....

Try it...you'll like it!!!

From the first track to the last track this album is almost perfect. Truly an album that can be enjoyed from start to finish over and over again. Band of horses plays with more talent and emotion than most. Cease to Begin won't stop playing in my head.

The opening track (Is There a Ghost) is absolutely sublime. The rest of the album never quite hits this peak, yet maintains a nice, mellow vibe, with good songwriting, strong guitars, and haunting vocals. As other reviewers have pointed out, there are echoes of other indy rock bands but this really didn't bother me---Band of Horses clearly has their own identity. This is easily in my top 10 favorite albums of 2007.

The fast songs are not as toe-tapping, the slow songs are not as beautiful - this album is mediocre at best. I would rank "everything all the time" as a favorite from last year - this album doesn't even rank.

I bought tis for my son who is a music major. He loved it

This is hands down, one of the best albums of the year. I still haven;t taken this out of my car's CD player since it went in a month ago. The vocals are brilliant. They really stand tall among the other indie rock bands.

"Everything All The Time" was a very solid record for the most part. "Cease To Begin" is similar but not quite as good. For one, it is not as immediate (except maybe the first song, which is possibly the most accessible track by Band Of Horses to this point). This is a grower. It needs repeated listens.

My main complaint (and only complaint really) is that there are a few redundantly slow tracks right at the center of the record that are far too similar to the redundantly slow tracks off of "Everything All The Time" to remain interesting.

When Band of Horses hits a sweet spot, it is incredible. But to this point, they have released two records with so incredible highs and some unfortunate lows. All though the highs outnumber the lows, some of their songs can get ugly (boring) quickly.

The last three tracks are great, the first two are excellent, the middle is hit and miss. The good songs sound great on mixtapes or in car commericals.

they bursted out with "the funeral" to get popular, and what a song that was. the new album has to grow on u. it's not easily awesome until the 3rd time around or so. after that though, it is a quality listening experience. keep up the good work all u under the radar indie bands. salute

The band should change their name to Arcade Fire's Morning Shins Jacket. It gets one star for sounding exactly like the formula that they set out to mimmick.

Someone who expects FRESH should be able to see where these songs are going 30 seconds into each one of them, should recognize the melodies stolen in each one of them, and the transparent lack of the slightest bit of originality.

Someone who wants their "indie" to remain the commercialized formula as it currently exists, will wet themselves in absolute satisfaction. Those people and this band should be given a complimentary clue, or jettisoned into space.

You're welcome (if only I had a one-way rocket-ship that I didn't want anymore).

Even though they lost a great member its still an ok album but not really great.

Band of Horses return for their second album Cease to Begin with a slick radio-ready sound, nearly abandoning the My Morning Jacket-like spacey production that dominated their debut, Everything All the Time. I suppose that this was a conscious effort on their part, perhaps representative of their cross-country move from Seattle to South Carolina. The only problem for me is that I loved every moment of their first album. I think I might have loved it for its very ramshackle-ness (that a word?) and spontaneity. Both of these are gone, for better or worse, on the new album.

Opener "Is There a Ghost" is probably my favorite track, and it is the song most reminiscent of their first album. Though it only has about two lines worth of lyrics, it builds with a steady intensity, dropping some truly catchy hooks along the way. The second track, "Ode to LRC" tries to capture the epic qualities of past songs like "Funeral" and "Great Salt Lake" but doesn't quite add up to the sum of its parts. There are a few too many shifts in the song, and none of the different parts really grabbed me the way the aforementioned songs did.

The middle of the album feels like a slump to me. "Detlef Schrempf" is interesting because of its title (reference to beloved former Seattle Sonics player) and its abandonment of guitars in favor of a soulful organ. The end of the album, however, packs a surprising punch. My favorite of these last few tracks is probably "Cigarettes, Wedding Bands" with some really sucker-punching lyrics and a bittersweet melody.

Cease to Begin may be an unpleasant surprise for longtime Band of Horses fans. The band really sounds like a whole new entity on this album, mainly because of the up-front production. Ben Bridwell's voice no longer cascades behind waves of reverb, and the guitars punch right through the mix instead of drifting and chiming among the other instruments. Personally, I liked the older sound of the band, but I think they still have a lot of potential. I suspect that the new radio prevelance of this album will earn Band of Horses a lot of new fans, and good for them! Just don't forget your roots, guys, and keep working on those epic crashing guitar scapes.

Hello World,
Took quite a few listens to really get into this album. Normal (or abnormal) senses told me to expect an album just like the previous, were this album is much different but just as good. Debut albums can consist of many years of songwriting and thought. So a follow up album that gives us the same or better musical quality shows fruitition and the knack or experience for good song writing. Some it comes easy some it don't, there's ALOT of bands as we know. But few got the octane to turn the crank. Welcome Band of Horses

Wonderful listening experience. Awesome cannabis fueled dreamy tunes. Worth the price for the first song alone!

It is a very good cd from the first song to the last. As good as the first cd.

Sometimes when I read Rolling Stone I find about acts like Band of Horses and of course I become intrigued. Like a fellow reviewer pointed out this is not a masterpiece by a long shot. Yes, they have some nice songs and the vocals are clear and melodic while their music falls into conventional, been there done that, type. They probably deserve 3.5 stars but in the context of all the music that is out there, all the competition for the best of the best, they stop short of the mark. They are a decent band. The lead vocalist is good, I give him that. He has a high clear voice and some of the lyrics hit the mark. 3.5 Stars for Band of Horses "Cease to Begin".