In sorting through the top 20 goth albums of the past 20 years list I have been working on I was having a hard time recalling which was the best album between "Dead Again" and "Life is Killing Me" . This is how I am going to to do it . In fact I am going to review all the albums I am nominating for this that came out before I started this blog 8 years ago. The title track is more in their punkish mode. It's good and works for them, not my favorite Type O song. I prefer them a little darker and doomy. They are back into a more up tempo punk thing for "Tripping a Blind Man". It does progress into a groove that highlights Steele's under rate bass playing. It is not until "the Profits of Doom" that I get what I was looking for here. Even then it's three and a half minutes into the song until they give it to me. The piano going into "September Sun " reminds me of "Home Sweet Home" This is the first perfect Type O song on this album. It has all the elements I need from thing and done well.
Their more punk paced songs might not be my favorite, but that doesn't mean I am totally opposed to this side as it can be done right like on "Halloween In Heaven" . The female vocal that comes in is a different touch for them. The vocal on "These Three Things" feels a little cumbersome. Three minutes into the song it smooths out into a more melodic direction. When it breaks down the guitar begins to do some really cool stuff and as a whole the guitar on this album is the glue more so than on previous releases since "Slow Deep & Hard" . The only cross over classic like "My Girlfriends Girl Friend" is "She Burned Me Down" . In fact it's the second half of this album that is strongest. Steele begins to finally use hsi more Sisters of Mercy like lower register. It has incredible dynamics and proves they could move into more progressive direction.
"Some Stupid Tomorrow" is more straight forward. It returns to the faster more punk sound. The guitars are at times hookier than the previous punk moments. "An Ode to Locksmiths" might be the album's best song. The best vocal melodies on the album might lie here.Listening back to this album I can here where the guitars are in a more limber rock rock n roll zone. The rock groove dominates the second half of " Hail and Farewell to Britain". I think I got my answer as I am giving this album a 9. But check back and I will see how "Life is Killing Me " goes.
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