When you start asking yourself what has happened to a certain band, missing their music, you can be certain that they have come up with something quite good and pleasing in the past.
And just as I started asking myself, what has happened to one of my favorite ‘autumnal’ bands, The Clientele, after a seven-year absence, here they are with Music for the Age of Miracles, issued on September 21st. Perfect timing in every sense of the word, from the title to issue date, along with the music itself.
For those that didn’t already grab this one, I’m happy to report that Alasdair MacLean and the band are in full swing. The swing, of course, being the shimmering pop/folk psychedelia The Clientele has dealt in before. This time around it is even more shimmering, aided by wonderful string arrangements and the use of instruments like Santoor, the Iranian hammered dulcimer. Both the arrangements and Santoor coming courtesy of Anthony Harmer, somebody MacLean collaborated with in his pre-Clientele days.
On the other hand, the ambitious arrangements and orchestration at no point distract from the quiet melancholy The Clientele were known for, just give it an extra touch. What they do underline is the dark tinges that have always inhabited MacLean’s music and lyrics, giving it just an additional timbre.
The levels of melancholy and sadness, dream-like states that border with nightmare undercurrents shift like on those classic English paintings and poems The Clientele were as inspired by as the late Sixties psychedelia, making this probably not only the most ambitious but possibly the best album MacLean and company have come up with so far.
That ‘Englishness’ The Clientele exhibit in their music might be the reason they are much more popular and revered on the other side of the Atlantic. Hopefully, with Music for the Age of Miracles will give them more exposure in Britain and Europe. After all, we are definitely in an age that needs miracles.
