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The Antlers are an alternative rock band based in Brooklyn, New York. In 2006, The Antlers began as the solo project of current front man, Peter Silberman. After releasing two full albums in this manner (Uprooted and In the Attic of the Universe), Silberman recruited Michael Lerner and Darby Cicci.

The Antlers are best known for their incredibly depressing Concept Album, Hospice, released in 2009.

Studio album discography:

  • Uprooted (2006)
  • In the Attic of the Universe (2007)
  • Hospice (2009)
  • Burst Apart (2011)
  • Familiars (2014)
  • Green to Gold (2021)


This band provides examples of:

  • Album Title Drop: Burst Apart is dropped several times in "Rolled Together".
  • Anti Lovesong: "I Don't Want Love" is an obvious example.
  • Arc Words: "Upstairs and downstairs and up on the roof" from "In the Attic of the Universe".
    • "Screaming and cursing" throughout Hospice.
  • Careful with That Axe
  • Concept Album: Hospice chronicles an abusive relationship, sung through the analogy of a relationship between a hospice worker and a dying patient. In the Attic of the Universe and Burst Apart also have shades of this, with their themes of helplessness and dog metaphors respectively.
  • Drunken Song: "Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out".
  • Epic Instrumental Opener: "Prologue" on Hospice.
  • Fading into the Next Song
  • Good Girls Avoid Abortion: Averted in "Bear". "The bear" inside the dying wife's "stomach" heavily implies that she's pregnant. The singer's comments imply they decided an abortion would be best because of their unhealthy relationship.
    We'll put an end to him / We'll make all the right appointments / No one ever has to know
    Well we're not scared of making caves / Or finding food for him to eat / We're terrified of one another / And terrified of what that means
  • Grief Song: Hospice is more-or-less a Grief Album; "Shiva", "Wake", and "Epilogue" deal directly with the death of his wife and the aftermath.
  • I Am the Band: Silberman, for the first two albums.
  • Looped Lyrics: "Rolled Together" for the entire song.
    Rolled together with a burning paper heart
    Rolled together but not enough to burst apart
    (repeat ad nauseum)
  • Love Nostalgia Song: Sort of subverted with "Kettering", which is about the singer wishing he hadn't fallen in love with someone in the first place.
  • Modulation: "Parade"—The track changes key from G Major to C Major on the bridge and continues in that key for the rest of the song.
  • Non-Appearing Title: "Kettering", "Atrophy", "French Exit", and "Corsicana", to name a few.
  • Ode to Sobriety: "Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out" has the singer lamenting the fact that he keeps ending up sleeping with his ex against his better judgement while drunk and/or high.
  • Precision F-Strike: At least one track on any of their full-band albums sees Silberman cursing, and it tends to stick out.
  • Rock Me, Amadeus!: The first few bars of "Bear" are are taken almost exactly from "Twelve Variation on 'Ah vous dirai-je, Maman'" by Mozart (aka, "Twinkle Twinkly Little Star").
  • Title-Only Chorus: "The Universe is Going to Catch You".

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