An oldie, but a goodie, I was re-acquainted with this album whilst noshing on pizza and sipping white wine at a restaurant last night. Although the time of my life when I discovered this album was not the brightest, most beautiful year, this album made me remember the best parts of it. Late night drives with close friends, with my hand out the window. The thrill of being independent for the first time and becoming a lot more of who I am as a result. I think the reason this album does this for me is that it has such a distinct sound, unmatched before or since.
What is it that makes the album so unique? A quick listen will answer that question for you. Apart from the incredibly unique vocal style that characterizes Alt-J’s work, the instrumentation is structured in a beautifully unique way. On seeing Alt J live, it’s clear that the band use a combination of electronic and acoustic instruments in order to create their sound. Strings, synths, bass guitar, lead guitar and keys are undercut with snappy percussion and strong vocal harmonies. The result is a complex, energising combination of sounds unlike any other.
While Alt-J’s choice of vocal style is extremely unique, the lyrics are almost indecipherable. This somehow contributes to the immersive quality of the music. It seems, upon listening, that a more articulate vocal would detract from the mysterious blend of electronic and acoustic instrumentation. That is not to say that it’s not a detailed vocal. There is a beautiful complexity to the vocal here, perhaps shaped by the gentle harmonies that shift in and out of each piece. Certain lines are easier to translate than others, creating beautiful moments of clarity amidst the haze. It’s an auditory treat, rather than a story told in the form of song. This means its great in the background as well as through earphones. That said, each song invites its listeners into a mood rather than a lyrical journey. It is emotive in its waxing and waning, speeding up and slowing down, swelling and diminishing, engaging the senses rather than the intellect. There is release in that, I think, to listen to something where you aren’t grasping for meaning, but rather allowing yourself to be taken into a musical experience. That is not to say that it is not an intelligent album, but rather that the complexity is found in the structure and musicality of each song.
What emotions does the album evoke? A huge range. From the darkly energising Breezeblocks to the acapella first interlude, featuring strong layered vocals and the laid back interlude II that serves as a peaceful pause on the album, the sultry Tesselate, and the beautifully sorrowful Taro, the album shows great emotional depth. On researching some of the songs on the album, it is clear that there is a strong narrative informing each track. Similarly to an actor creating a backstory for his or her character in a play, it is the motivation for each song that allows it to have such a rich emotional effect. Highlights and shadows create the mood of each story, and each one is distinctly emotive as a result.
Perhaps my favourite track on the album, Taro, tells the story of a pair of Gerda Taro and Robert Capa, a pair of travelling journalists who ventured into countries affected by war in order to document the events that took place there. The song captures the story of each of their deaths in the field, delicately capturing the heartbreaking reality of the couple’s experience. It is a beautiful ode to Taro and Capa, told in sounds rather than prose, and gently moving to listen to as a result.
In a similar vein, the band take on a number of contentious topics, such as the twisted rites of passage that exist in gang culture in Fitzpleasure and hinting at the dark realities of obsessive love, cloaked in childhood metaphors from Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are in Breezeblocks. This is perhaps the most contentious song on the album (although once Fitzpleasure has been unpacked, this is hard to believe). It is important to bear in mind the fact that Alt-J have an abstract approach to songmaking. Physical descriptions have metaphorical implications, informed by the soundscape created around them. Tesselate takes on lighter subject matter, comparing maths to love and Matilda sensitively explores the complexity of a romantic relationship. The accompanying music video for each song, although abstract, brings more of the content to light. But it is in the mystery as well as the candour of the album that endears it to its listeners.
The album is best played loud, through your home speaker system or perhaps in the car, late at night, with the windows rolled down.
