Tapestry'd Life is only the second album by Pretend, a math rock quartet who formed in 2004 and released their debut in 2009.

The group obviously take their time building and refining their compositions, and it shows.

Their arrangements are complex and tightly wound, yet they're remarkably lush and easy on the ears.

The band are pros at constructing acute rhythms which can abruptly slow down or feel like they're falling apart, only to whip back together with no hesitation.

Luke Palascak's vocals are soft and gentle rather than screamy or whiny, completely distancing the group's sound from hardcore, emo, or any related permutations.

The exhilarating "Physical Flight" is the album's high point, but all of the tracks are epics which would be centerpieces of any album by a less ambitious band.

Nearly all of the album's nine songs exceed seven minutes in length, so the album isn't a brisk, concise listen.

It's intense, but it isn't as emotionally draining as you'd expect.

Pretend manage to make brainy, technical music go down easy, and Tapestry'd Life is a refreshing work.