BeatRoute Magazine [AB] print e-edition - [May 2018]

58 | MAY 2018 • BEATROUTE
the forms of classic folk to punk rock, “Old
Scratch” tags its choruses, while James Renton’s
lyrics are close to the bone, like Townes
Van Zandt in Chuck Taylors on lines like, “betray
our names, betray our trust, then return
us to the dust.”
Renton’s voice, Ryan Mick’s guitar, and
Kevin Klemp’s multi-instrumentation have
always defined Fire Next Time’s sound,
but on Knives, Garrett Krueger and Nick
Kouremenos have solidified a driving and
energetic rhythm section. If Cold Hands was
a defining artistic moment for the band a
few years ago, Knives shows an ass-kicking,
non-stop punk rock Fire Next Time that
hasn’t forgotten the key elements of the
sound they built.
• Mike Dunn
Jon Hopkins
Singularity
Domino
Jon Hopkins blurs the lines between nature
and technology in his meditative, abstract
fifth LP, Singularity. Dense, artificial beats
and echoing soundscapes intertwine with
moments of quiet, solitary piano to deliver an
entirely refreshing record.
Singularity is, funnily enough, split into
two parts. The album opens with abstract
single note soundscapes that give way to
bouncing synthesizer arpeggios, combined
with dance-like drum beats, that do all that
they can to encourage the involuntary bobbing
along of one’s head. Each track blurs
into the next and culminates in “Everything
Connected,” which marks Singularity’s halfway
point and a distinctive shift in gear. The
second half of the album opts for quieter,
more naturalistic piano moments that draw
the listener’s ear into a more intimate space.
The shift in sound on the second half of the
album perhaps reflects Hopkins’ own musings
on the role of technology in the natural
world, and vice versa.
The philosophical implications of Hopkins’
own aesthetic choices on Singularity will
probably always be up for debate. However,
underneath those interpretations lies a
beautiful, cohesive record that will delight
fans of Hopkins’ blend of expansive electronic
elements and intimate sensibilities.
• Alex Harrison
Iceage
Beyondless
Matador Records
Having once been hailed by Iggy Pop as
“the only current punk band I can think of
that sounds really dangerous,” meant as a
compliment of the highest order, Denmark’s
Iceage have somehow managed to retain that
knife’s edge feeling of danger and excitement
that has defined their records and live shows
while still crafting their most approachable
record yet.
Beyondless is the Copenhagen-based postpunk
(post-post punk? Iceage continually
defy the catchall genre categorization) band’s
first release since 2014’s excellent Plowing
Into the Field of Love, and their third with
Matador and producer Nis Bysted. Wellpaced,
with arrangements and production
that at times seem worlds away from their
hardcore-leaning debut New Brigade,
Beyondless takes the best of Love’s Americana-tinged,
punk-blues experimentation,
setting it against a lush, gothic backdrop,
complete with buoyant strings and horns
throughout.
Making for an enigmatic combination of
Ian Curtis, a snarling Leonard Cohen, and Mick
Jagger fronting the New York Dolls, Singer
and frontman Elias Bender Rønnenfelt is at
his dour, poetic best on Beyondless. While
still covering the requisite darker themes and
imagery found on previous releases, Rønnenfelt
and co. have crafted what is essentially a
hopeful, occasionally joyous sounding record.
Experimenting heavily, without compromising
what made them unique, and highly
buzzed-about years ago, Beyondless is another
step forward for Iceage that further cements
their position as one of the most consistent,
ambitious, and thought-provoking modern
punk bands.
• Willem Thomas
Kississippi
Sunset Blush
SideOneDummy
Frontwoman Zoe Reynolds of Philadelphia’s
indie pop band Kississippi, makes her album
debut since splitting with Colin James Kupson
in 2016 with Sunset Blush.
The record stars the bold-yet-gooey singles
“Cut Yr Teeth” and “Easier to Love,” perfectly
encapsulating Kississippi’s serene vibe with a
hint of divergence. It’s the perfect amount of
contrast between Reynold’s airy voice and the
mixture of electronic-rock that’s so perfectly
displayed in “Red Light” and “Adrift.”
Through her soft but powerful voice, Kississippi
croons on the end of relationships and
the hurt and loss that comes with it on Sunset
Blush in such an elegant way. The beautiful
lyrics “I could be better / You could be worse
/ We both said forever / But who said it first”
from “Who Said it First” prove how poetic her
writing is.
In some cases female voices can tend to
sound very similar, especially in the alternative
scene, but Reynolds has a fresh twist to her
music as each songs glides with ease from one
to another.
Song by song you realize the similarities
that keep Sunset Blush a cohesive work of art,
as well as the differences in tempo, tone or
beat that keep it interesting and new.
• Mackenzie Mason
Mark Kozelek
Mark Kozelek
Caledo Verde Records
The ever-prolific Mark Kozelek returns with
a beautiful self-titled album that maintains
his signature quotidian lyricism, sparse instrumentation
and reflective warmth. Mark
Kozelek is sure to satisfy longtime fans,
but may alienate newcomers to Kozelek’s
particularly dense songwriting style, with
tracks that stretch out beyond the 10-minute
mark.
From the first track, we are lulled into the
hypnotic, reflective ramblings of Kozelek’s
lyrics; his ability to craft what seem like his
journal entries into a consistent lyricism is
astonishing. Kozelek writes about everything
from his relationships, to world
events, to what he had for lunch. Part of the
attraction with Kozelek’s lyrics is traversing
not only the physical spaces that Kozelek
writes about whilst on tour but also his
mental timeline, drifting through his memories
and finding moments loaded with profound
lessons in everyday empathy. These
reflections are all undercut with sparse,
gorgeous guitar melodies, and bouncing
backing vocals that are all tied together
with some superb, delicate production.
All of the above will be familiar to longtime
listeners, but the extensive lengths
of some tracks may alienate newcomers.
However, if one sticks around, they’re sure
to find some beautiful moments in Mark
Kozelek.
• Alex Harrison
Parquet Courts
Wide Awake!
Rough Trade Records
Parquet Courts have managed to top themselves
with every release since their first studio
album, Light Up Gold, and they continue to
keep their compelling art rock/post punk
sound fresh with every release. Their brand
new album, Wide Awake! is certainly no
exception. The band strays from their usual
garage rock sound as they have teamed up
with the prevalent producer Danger Mouse
to create a masterpiece of funk/punk fusion
that keeps the listener engaged through its 13
tracks.
Following 2016’s ballad-heavy album
Human Performance, Parquet Courts come
through with a punchy and exhilarated record
full of “joy, rage silliness and anger,” according
to the band’s frontman A. Savage. The opening
track “Total Football,” makes reference
to football players choice to kneel during