The Canadian post-punks are back. They open their newest album with the lead single "Burn in Heaven," which is grooving and dark enough to be in regular rotation at goth clubs everywhere. It bridges the organic guitar focus of post-punk with the slinking slither of dark-wave to fit nicely into the goth paradigm. Synths play a larger role in setting up." I Was Ill, You Were Wrong". It falls back into a mood rather than a groove, like the previous song, though it grows on me with each listen. The hook is subtle when he announces it's a sea of sadness.
On "Seven Fictions," the bass line steers the track toward a more Cure-like direction, with his emotive vocals adding a whine that only deepens this comparison. But it works well as a song, though I am not sure I want the album to only relentlessly pursue this kind of tribute moving forward. \"Cold Skin" is more of an atmospheric ballad, that finds the overwrought plea of the vocals the only thing anchoring them to Robert Smith's zipcode as it drifts toward shoegazing.
It might be due to the fact I am such a huge fan of the Cure, but I hear "The Hanging Garden" a little too much in "Selfish Hunger". Things move in a more Cold Cave-like direction for "Prayertaker". It's more like older Cold Cave, which works well enough for me. I can also hear a little Clan of Xymox in the overall mood at times. "Dream Drowning" fassked me out as the intro made it sound like they were going for something that sounded too much like "A Forest," but once the song kicks in, there is a dancier feel that reminds me of the early 2000s brand of post-punk revivalism that kept the dark flame burning, bringing us to where we are today.
The last three songs ran together after a casual listen, forcing me to go back and listen with a clsoer ear to sort out what was going on. "Mourn" is more of a brief ballad. It carries a great deal of desperation in its plea, but is subtle in its minimalistic pout. The beat to "Japanese Picture Pony" picks up the pace ajnd add more dance in the step of the otherwise thickly introspective languishing the album does. "Crawl" is a depressive ballad that finds its joy in wallowing. I will give this album a 9.5, even for all its Cure worship and ballads halting the momentum, it sounds great, and there is a depth to the melodies that make you a believer in the moping going down here.
No comments:
Post a Comment