Minor Victories are the new supergroup of people, comprising Rachel Goswell from Slowdive, Stuart Braithwaite from Mogwai, Justin Lockey from Editors and the movie director James Lockey. You might have noticed that a lot of supergroups emerged in the last two years, but I was especially excited when Minor Victories announced their commencement. Their album was highly anticipated by the fans of these three bands. Editors, Mogwai and Slowdive share some similarities, but they are very different in general.
Minor Victories have taken the core characteristics of their native bands, and it leads to the eclectic mixture of post-punk, post-rock and shoegaze. Before the album’s release, the band has shared a trailer Film One, containing teasers of the songs, and said that they are collaborating with Tony Doogan. Finally, we got the new release in 2016.
Stylistically, this band is best to be characterized as a post-rock, but they are also leaning towards dream-pop and shoegaze, which is especially noticeable in Goswell’s vocal that sounds just as placid as it does in Slowdive. From the very beginning, the album insists on ambiental and miscellaneous sound in which guitars are not post-punk, rather subtle as in classic post-rock pieces. Surely, there are also elements of electronic music. Nothing here provokes with any intrusion. They have managed to combine the supreme qualities of their bands.
Still, the album could have been much better. I had a feeling like they did not give their very best. They sound like they wanted a lot, and it made them get lost. Potential is visible, but the realization is missing.
My favorite is A Hundred Ropes, a track that serves as a baby of Editors and Mogwai. The song attracts with its dark vibe. Folk Arp is a slow-tempo, ambiental number, maybe the only one that works in that style. Guitars are most prominent in For You Always. It is a pearl near the end of the album. Male and female vocals commute perfectly.
Out To Sea and Cogs are way too experimental for my taste, while Higher Hopes closes the album in an insipid manner.
Minor Victories succeeded to draw attention. The question is – do they deserve it?
