With so many indie bands sporting Unknown Pleasures and Movement t-shirts and preferring synths to guitars (nothing wrong with that), the second coming of New Order was inevitable but possibly unwanted. And what we have are bands that are so indebted to what New Order, and before them Joy Division, accomplished that the only logical starting point for a listener is to focus on how much or how little they sound like that influence. And whether or not a particular artist is really wanting to be seen in the light of such an archetypal band, the obvious comparisons are there to be made.
Future Islands have been refining this brand of New Order inspired synth-rock for years, beginning with their less-than-stellar debut Wave Like Home and on through their underrated 2010 Thrill Jockey released album In Evening Air. With their latest release On The Water, Future Islands have made the final steps to carry them from the labors of their influences into a place few bands ever reach, a place where their creative works no longer sound like mere mimicry and where the efforts spent emulating the bands that they love produce an unqiue take on those same influences. Lead singer Samuel Herring takes his Morrissey/David Byrne stage presence and applies the same vocal histrionics across these tracks as he does on stage--and if you've never seen Future Islands live, see them now, with all its melodramatic sweaty chest beating, floor slapping intensity. "Before The Bridge" may be the culmination of their synth-rock aesthetic, with its building synth-laden crescendos and emotionally wrecked, yet still hopeful, lyrics. Other songs like "The Great Fire", with guest vocals from Wye Oak singer Jenn Wasner, and "Where I Found You" showcase the particular strengths of Future Islands, that dedication to the complex build-up and emotional--both positive and negative--payoff that was the calling cards of both Joy Division and New Order. By building on what was inevitably going to be seen as emotional plagiarism from their influences, Future Islands have outstripped their synth contemporaries and created a work of stunning beauty and emotional resonance. They've managed to work within and outside what was only hinted at on their earlier albums and develop a singular musical vision, devoid of obvious pretense and musical caricature. And for those of you who only hear their influences, you're only skimming the surface of this ocean. Listen closely, look at the stars and know Future Islands can help make the hurt go away.
Tracklisting:
01. On the Water
02. Before the Bridge (listen to the mp3 below)
03. The Great Fire
04. Open
05. Where I Found You
06. Give Us the Wind
07. Close to None
08. Balance
09. Tybee Island
10. Grease
No comments:
Post a Comment