Okay, something a little different. With my main journal being taken over by my Tom Waits discography I’m reluctant to post any other reviews till that’s finished, and anyway these are all going to be shorter reviews, but I promised my good friend Anteater that I would review every album in his thread
http://www.musicbanter.com/album-rev...s-2014-a.htmll, and here’s where I’m going to do it.
Although our tastes do very often coincide, and he’s introduced me to some great music, there are areas where we differ, so this may not always be plain sailing for me. Some of the albums on his list I may not like, but I trust the guy enough to know that a large percentage of it is likely to chime with me. I’m going to go numerically as he did, so we’re starting at the bottom of his list with this one at number
30.
Artiste: Ought
Nationality: Canadian
Album: More than any other day
Year: 2014
Label: Constellation Records
Genre: Post-punk (um…)
Tracks:
Pleasant heart
Today more than any other day
Habit
The weather song
Forgiveness
Around again
Clarity!
Gemini
Chronological position: Second album
Familiarity: Zero
Interesting factoid:
Initial impression: Harsh, grating, not quite atonal but not melodic. Me no likee!
Best track(s): More than any other day, Habit, Forgiveness
Worst track(s): Pleasant heart, Around again, Gemini
Comments: Post-punk is not a genre I’m familiar, or indeed comfortable with. In fact, anything with the prefix or suffix of punk is something I usually afford a wide berth to. But this is one of Ant’s picks and so, be it jazz, hip-hop or death metal, I’m duty-bound to investigate. So here I go. Harsh enough guitar that reminds me of Waits in a way, and the title of the opening track may be a joke. I can’t really make out the vocals too well over the ragged guitars, and the melody seems very simplistic, something I suppose that should not surprise me, given the punk tag. I’m not exactly expecting orchestral interludes or delicate acoustic passages. It almost goes a little ambient there in the last minute or so, but the guitars are still scratching at the windows like wolves out in the winter forest trying to get in, and it gives it all a very cold, bleak air.
At least things quiet and calm down for the basic title track, for about half the song, then it picks up in speed and gets a little more manic, but it’s still much better than the opening track. “Habit” is decent too, holding back the lunacy a little with a pretty low-key guitar track and a vocal I can understand and hear. In fact, now I can hear him, the singer reminds me of David Byrne at times. Course, the song doesn’t stay relaxed for long but even when it kicks up it’s decent enough. Quite catchy, in fact. “Forgiveness” goes further, with a lament on what sounds like violin, very ambient and I really like it. I kind of lose interest after that though.
This isn’t the raw, angry punk I usually associate with the tag sure, but it’s still a bit too visceral for me. I’m not a great fan of angry music or shouted vocals, and while this album has its quieter moments, it is mostly something of a roarfest. Just not for me. Not the best start, but I’m sure it’ll get better as I go through Ant’s list.
Overall impression: A little too harsh for my gentle soul I fear.
Hum Factor: 3
Surprise Factor: -8
Intention: Be a while before I let the word post-punk into my vocabulary again...