Labels: Matador
Review by: Joe Callaghan
I hate that term “it’s a grower”. I never used to accept it could be possible. I always felt it came from people forcing themselves to like something. Why would you persist with something that did nothing for you the first time around? With this record, I played it once through, and I couldn’t possibly construct a sentence about it based on that one glimpse, and I really needed to give it another go, and another go. I must concede that with each play, it made more and more sense. At first, it was a sparse, dissonant clutter which I couldn’t wrap my head around. His voice seemed weak and trite. The music was repetitious, meagre and hollow, and I was ready to open up Word and piss and moan about yet another heap of shit. Rabble! Rabble! Rabble!
I gave it another chance, purely so I could try and compare it to something at least. That route was unsuccessful, as it sounds like nothing. The mood ranges from classical arrangements, to sparse electronica, to morose bluesy rock, almost touching Nick Cave territory whilst sounding little like him. His voice, rarely ever strained, fumbles nasally, like a depressed Beck combined with a morose John Linnell. At his most miserable, there are even glimpses of Leonard Cohen in there, which I didn’t notice until just now, giving it a final run through. Boy howdy.
Musically, it can’t sit still. It constantly changes, from a standard bass, drums and guitar set up, to electronic instrumentation/percussion, violins piano etc. Regardless of the shift in sound, the mood is quite constant. Julian Plenti rarely sounds cheery or chirpy, but never aggressive or irate. “Skyscraper’ is consistently glum, and downright cranky. Julian’s plain, brooding vocal carries as much conviction as required to fully convey the mood of the record. His squandering and inauspiciousness appears genuine and easily absorbed, after a few listens anyway.
So, it is a grower, but it works. Skyscraper is a highly ruthless and profligate record, with much to offer if you have the patience to persevere with it.