Now onto the important issue: after further reflection, I really feel that Skeletal Lamping is somewhat of a genuine masterpiece of modern music. It rewards prolonged listening with new insights and rewards. Once, as a listener, you fully take in and integrate all of the multitudes of clever melodies and hooks that this odd record has hidden in its fifteen tracks, it becomes addictive, engrossing, indespensable. It's just a matter of truly reaching that stage with it, and yes, my opinion is that it does require a lot of repeat listening to really grasp what's going on in the music - but it's in every sense worth it.
In terms of structure, the album is fascinating in that the number of tracks does not really correspond to the number of songs at all. In one sense, it could be seen as one long song, as Kevin Barnes has indicated himself; but on the other hand, it could be seen as having anything up to 50 songs on it. 50 good songs, dissected, torn apart, scattered, and reassembled by a frantic, destructive child with less than an aptitude for jigsaws. The result is chaos unbridled, an ecstatic stretch of pure, unadulterated, undiluted, hysterical, manic insanity. But it's an endearing insanity, orchestrated by one of modern music's absolute best and most talented melodists and hookmen.
If this album is not a 10 out of 10 in 2008, then I don't know what is. If it is not released to immense acclaim from anybody who has the gall to call him/herself a music critic, then it'll be a supreme travesty of justice.
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