ALBUM REVIEW: The Antlers – Hospice
words: Jamie Milton — originally scribed for gigwise.com
A couple of things should be established: The most important of which is that yes, ‘Hospice‘ is a concept album but it’s not a concept album about a loved one staring at death’s beady eyes and ultimately coming to a stop. That would be far too safe a method of producing tears in a listener’s eyes, wouldn’t it? More than anything (and this is point number two), this is a concept album about a break-up. The idea of a Hospice being this alloted space for people to simply die in hits a chord with the slow demise of a relationship, one that has a parallel with say, a grandfather with Alzheimer’s – something you know is one the way out.
Peter Silberman has always shied away from exposing just what led to the writing of ‘Hospice‘, the exact experience that led him to writing what is essentially a “break-up album”. All we know is Silberman sat himself aside other concept albums, ‘In The Aeroplane Over The Sea‘ etc. He wrote, he analysed, he recorded, he analysed again. The final product is something steadily on its feet, exposed to the ultimate sense of loss, an album that eases like a speeding train through a tunnel with such flow and direction.
It doesn’t reach perfection by any means. Production — even on the re-mastered version this reviewer is sitting with right here — is dubiously put through its paces, shadowing out lyrics that would surely make a vital component of such a sad album, in favour of an atmosphere that crosses the line occasionally in terms of sounding too hectic. It just needs to catch its breath sometimes. And for songs with such overwhelming misery, the likes of ‘Kettering‘ and ‘Wake‘ could perhaps be complimented with a string quartet. Or would that be too predictable?
Because ‘Hospice‘ is far from your average concept album. And where Silberman could take rest and employ a 32-piece-orchestra he instead pits for plugging his guitar in and constructing dreamy, shoegaze-y walls of noise on the chorus’ of ‘Sylvia’ and ‘Bear‘. Such powerful jolts of tense commotion wake you from the relaxing trance that ‘Hospice‘ can at times allow you to slip in to.
And whilst the making of this album involved listen after listen of fellow concept albums, notes and notes of ideas, planning, the most important ideas came from Silberman’s need to put ‘Hospice’ outside of the norm. Concept albums come in all shapes and sizes but you’ll be fortuitous to ever come across another album about death or the death about a relationship that is so keen to complicate and keep you alert. Those moments that come across like interruptions, the kicks and jerks, seem to symbolically represent the dying body fighting at its last moments, jumping to a start before giving in for the final time…
7.9
mp3: Bear
mp3: Two
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ALBUM REVIEW: Noah and the Whale – The First Days of Spring
words: Jamie Milton
originally scribed for gigwise
‘5 Years Time’ broke ground in ways Noah and the Whale could in no way have imagined. It became a routine, summer-time sing-along for children, mums, and fans of Laura Marling. One year on, it’s allowed the band to un-cage the thoughts in their heads. That’s the beauty of the single: regardless of poor sales, dying formats and the loss of meaning in the top 40, one hit can pave way for new beginnings. However surely nobody in their right mind expected Charlie Fink to shelve the idea of writing another sure-fire, arm-in-arm, triumphant but slightly annoying pop song. He has instead, gone with his heart. ‘The First Days of Spring’ is anything but a half-arsed collection of songs. It’s a complete cinematic experience, sonically engaging, placing clear, enigmatic pictures in your head.
At first glance, this album details re-birth and growth, all things Spring. Quite predictable, then. However delve into the lyrics and you discover that “Spring” is merely a metaphorical tool, used to enhance some deeply personal feelings. Fink covers the loss of a flame (a relationship) and the attempt to re-kindle it. At times, words and meanings speak nothing but triumph: “Like a cut down tree, I will rise again. And I’ll be bigger and stronger…” But amongst this theme of determination is meaningless sex and the un-rivalled sense of loss, complete emptiness. For as much as Spring can symbolise a new start, it can also be the most miserable of seasons emotionally. And whilst this record offers hope, its finest moments are admittances of defeat. The most poignant of these comes in ‘My Broken Heart’, with Fink concluding “I’ll be lonely…” over and over again. Defeat is often met with replenished hope: particularly in said song, with “lonely” being cleverly replaced with the verb “laughing” in the second verse.
‘My Broken Heart’ concludes four opening tracks of complete perfection. The tracklisting seems to segment the album into three distinct parts. Tracks 1-4 are followed by the centrepiece, ‘Love of An Orchestra’; a driven, uplifting piece, like nothing the band has done before, surrounded by two, short instrumental parts. And keeping to this theme of symmetry, the middle segment is followed by another four tracks. The title-track is nothing short of sounding as beautiful as Sigur Ros, only without the language barrier. Strings segments are powerful and busy whilst Fink’s deep tones remain sturdy and firm. ‘Our Window’ is a disjointed ballad, detailing two lovers staring for hours at the stars. ‘I Have Nothing’ is warmer and more concise, centred around a melody suspiciously like that in Bon Iver’s ‘Creature Fear’ but on par with the quality displayed around it. This opening section is outstanding. And the closing four tracks, held upright by the anthemic ‘Blue Skies’, can only be regarded as a disappointment in comparison. But let’s be clear: only in comparison.
For an album with such a slow tempo, ‘The First Days of Spring’ quite remarkably, remains fascinating throughout. No-one in their right mind could have expected anything as grand, ambitious and most importantly, accomplished as this record. It’s taken immense time, effort, and all that money raised from the success of the debut album, to achieve this faultless tour de force. Nonetheless, it’s still one hell of a surprise.
8.5
mp3: Noah and the Whale – The First Days of Spring // alt
MFM @ HYPEM
