The final track “Stage Left” is a fitting summation of this sometimes folk, sometimes punk, sometimes electronic album. A simple guitar riff leads into heartfelt lyrics, building to a distorted crescendo of guitars and cymbals. It straddles between drum machines and crashing live kits, electronic blips and low-fi guitar chords. Quiet melodic hooks and punks-off-the-stage choruses that make you want to throw chairs.
The opening “Fall Over, Lowly Man” and “En Garde!” lean towards electronic sounds and drums, giving the sense of a lone performer on stage surrounded by blinking boxes. These are balanced by tunes like “When I Wanted To Be Buried Alive”, a more standard rock tune with a slow build. The sea-shanty-esque “A Lovely Bloke” strike a balance between crashing rock drums and guitar strums. A song you can imagine being belted out in a crowded pub, patrons swaying arm-in-arm through the melodic verses and heavy choruses.
The variety continues with the ska/reggae rhythms of “Dot Dot Dot” and the curious, spacey story of “Flat Near KFC”. Each song is a bit of a surprise, not necessarily like its predecessor. A welcome ensemble of styles.
The only thing that left me wanting was the vocal style, which didn’t resonate with me along with the rest of the music. While mostly on-point, some notes don’t hit the way I’d like them to. The lyrics are thoughtful, the pacing and delivery is solid, but the delivery didn’t always work for me.
A good album for long car rides, when you’ve got a lot on your mind.
