Tamer Animals, the exquisite new record from Other Lives, comes across like a familiar whisper from an old friend, sounding at once like a breathy statement of desire as well as a dignified plea for compassion. Each solemn, heartfelt number is augmented by delicate string arrangements and lilting piano and organ strains, which only serve to buoy the dusty, sober vocals of Jesse Tabish and the muted, soulful harmonies of the rest of the quintet. These lush, spacious tracks all share a theatrical pulse, seemingly setting in motion a corresponding black and white film within the minds of the listener with each vivid, mournful tale of renewal and regret.

Opening track, the pensive ‘Dark Horse,’ has a restrained, Grizzly Bear-like quality to it that gets the record off to a lovely, atmospheric start. That sense of warmth and intimacy only continues on ‘As I Lay My Head Down’, a tense, bold number that swings with an audacious elegance that only deepens as the song progresses to its fitful finish. The strings on ‘For 12′ echo Radiohead’s indelible ‘How To Disappear Completely’, but instead of merely sounding like a pale imitation of its alike-sounding track, the lilting arrangement seems more like a modern pastiche meant to pay homage to an enduring influence, and the song flourishes as a result.

The haunting title track has to be one of the album’s strongest moments though, carried by a downcast piano riff and Tabish’s plaintive vocals. But rather than wallow in its own despondency, the song gradually ascends to glorious heights as the melody truly soars amidst the insistent, intoxicating rhythms of drummer Colby Owens. ‘Dust Bowl III’ settles things down just a bit, but doesn’t sacrifice any lasting significance by slowing down the tempo, instead crafting and capturing the restless spirit of someone always in transit. And by the time the track erupts towards the end, you’ve long been swallowed up whole by the sublime soundscapes of the Stillwater, Oklahoma ensemble.

Other Lives spent nearly a year and half working on Tamer Animals, and it shows clearly in the measured meticulousness of their crisp, clean sound. These redolent songs are unhurried studies in sincere self-expression, capturing a momentary, fleeting feeling that is effortlessly and continually conjured up by the evocative nature of the tracks themselves. ‘Old Statues,’ with its repeated line of “One by one/we are turning into old statues” reminds us of both the relentless passing of time and how we perhaps might be wasting our moment.

After the resplendent segue of ‘Woodwind’, which more than lives up to its rich title, the album draws to a close with a strong triumvirate of songs: the dynamic, propulsive ‘Desert’, which is quickly followed by the restless, searching nature of ‘Landforms’, before closing with the tranquil, meditative instrumental ‘Heading East’.

These songs (and the record itself) all have an exploratory, nomadic quality to them, as if the subject either hasn’t been satisfied by what they’ve found or isn’t done searching for answers quite yet. That edgy dynamic gives this work a transient, stirring quality which imbues the songs with a restless energy, easily drawing in a listener who is forever dreaming of someplace else. Tamer Animals will no doubt serve as a mighty fine soundtrack for anyone ceaselessly seeking a home that suits them.