If you wanted some proof that true emo soul was still alive and well across the pond, look no further than the institution of Los Campesinos! A band that proudly proclaims itself to be the UK's first and only emo band, these guys have enjoyed a career spanning from their first record in 2008 to a pretty cult following, and have not really slowed down since. Their latest offering, All Hell, comes in as an almost fifty minute exploration of pure lyric force and pop-punk inspired instrumentals - and its something pretty special. Here's my breakdown and review of All Hell;
1. The Coin-Op Guillotine - 4:19
This track leads you in with an atmospheric opener that creates such a palpable atmosphere from the get go. The repeated note, the small tapping and scrapings, before the silence and the shot straight into the main body of the track. The guitar riffs are sparklingly clean, and set alongside a really lovely drum beat. Lyrics have always been this bands strength, and this song is no exception. It bleeds sadness and this feeling of hopelessness, the lyrics gliding perfectly over this chocked full mix of sliding guitar and bass. The pre chorus builds on the already ambient backdrop with an awesome use of silence and crescendo, blasting the song at a new rapid pace. You have to give your flowers to the lead singer, who's voice is smooth and emotive, with the doubled harmonies making those brilliant words cut even deeper than before. In terms of semantics, this song seems to rotate around this idea of a Coin Operated Guillotine, and that metaphor of doing everything you can to bring about your own destruction - and how helpless you feel when placed into the throes of life. As an opening track, what more could you really want from it?
2. Holy Smoke (2005) - 2:56
In sharp contrast to the last track, Holy Smoke begins sharply, with a loop of piano chords, before sharply turning into a punchy opening. Led by splashy cymbals and distorted guitar, this song is a different animal that feels more at home on a punk record. Vocals have a little more bite to them, and it makes the sound more volatile, and it's a style that really suits this style. It's easy listening too, there's nothing that grates on the ears, and sure you could probably claim if your a purist that its a little too clean, but I reckon everyone can find something they love in this track. The drums in this track are also pretty dynamic, and really flourishes in the pre-chorus and that awesome ride sound. Lyrics are once again hard hitting, nonsensical and cutting. The only complaint I have is that there isn't more to this track - coming in at just shy of three minutes, I wanted more, a refrain maybe, another verse and breakdown...but I suppose sometimes you have to leave them wanting more.
3. A Psychic Wound - 4:01
A more melancholic opener on this track, with strummed guitar and unplugged vocals leading into a crashing first few seconds. The guitar tone is killer, and sits just on top of the mix and right in the ear. The verses change the pace a little, with some brilliant bass that weaves its way around the vocals. You find yourself being taken on a ride with the lyrics that somewhat describe the downfall of a relationship, or at least some form of jealousy, and you tune in to those small things in the lyrics. They have such a tangible way of writing songs, with lyrics that really feel, that it gets you hook line and sinker by the chorus. There are some elements of shoegaze in the guitars, but kept in this emo scape with the heavy driving drums. It changes a lot in terms of tempo and feel, but it's never too janky. It moves and evolves really naturally. But this song is really all about the lyrics, they come as sometimes a bit of a gut punch, but that's what it's all about. 'If you're not the one that's leaving, you're the one that's left behind'? Wow. Ouch.
4. I Spit; Or, a Bite Mark in the Shape of the Sunflower State - 1:20
Wanted really long emo song titles? Well, here you go. This one comes at a more acoustic angle, and with the same chord suspension and harmonised vocals lets those heavy lyrics really breathe without the need for the auxiliary instrumentation. Sure, nothing mind blowing, but a nice change of pace after three back to back quick tempo head bangers.
5. Long Throes - 4:19
A similar soundscape to the opener comes back around on Long Throes, bringing it into a more drawn out sound. The vocal harmonies make up for most of the opening, and are really beautiful when placed over the breezy drum beat. The verse comes in and the drums become insanely more complex. They're keeping the songs amazingly diverse, with the same sort of feel but are by no means the same. There's a theme here of being proud of being sad - the emotion is that people keep trying to imbue you with their own opinions of the world and emotions, but that they're just doing their own thing unashamedly. It brings back that vocal melody motif over the chorus', and it's a feature you really can't get tired of. Lyrics again are brilliant, revolving around that central theme that ties them all together in a self deprecating uppercut. Class track.
6. Feast of Tongues - 5:02
I will say now, without a shadow of a doubt, this song is one of my favourites, not only from this record, but from anything released this year. All parts depressing, joyous and extatic, this song is an embodiment of the things that are so good about this band. The opening is all lyrics and drawn out strings. The chorus adds synth chords to the mix, and then in comes the drums and guitar. You can tell its leading somewhere. The toms are slamming, the guitar is repeating the same phrase over and over. It's building and you're in for the ride. The lyrics bring more bite in the second verse. It's more insane lyricism, nonsense sure, but that feeling, that bitterness and devotion ooze from every single word. And then, the chorus comes and brings it all home in a glorious fashion, with wailing guitar and slamming guitar, with those same elements from earlier just let loose in this insane soundscape that's so dense you can tune in to almost anything on any listen and hear something new. A final triumphant chorus comes over this insane sound, and ties a perfect bow on what is, in my opinion, an absolute masterclass in song writing and natural builds within tracks.
7. The Order of the Seasons - 3:57
No despondent intros here, we're straight into the track, with that similar hearty drum sound and guitars. This song has some real Frank Turner energy to it. The lyrics flow from line to line, to a point that you know its sung but it seems like spoken word. The drums slide along, using that brilliant ride beat into a open hi-hat groove. I love how the instrumentation comes in after the first lines of the verses, you feel that lyric, and then in comes the bass and guitar again. The chorus moves well, and although not as interesting as some of the other tracks, it's still a great song, just a little less remarkable than the others. But that does not take away from the breakdown which builds again pretty pitch perfectly, with the repeated lyrics before bringing it home in the final act.
8. II. Music For Aerial Toll House - 0:52
This one is just an interlude, so I won't spend too much time on it, but It's funky. Nothing to write home about, but it ties together those intros for some of the other tracks with these strange mechanical whirring. Cool.
9. To Hell in a Handjob - 4:08
Remember what I was saying about those beeping intros? Boom, here's another. But this track is another faster moving track, driven by a lively but simple drum beat. Not a rager like some of the last ones, but it ticks over well. Again you keep looking into the lyrics, picking them apart as they come across. It's a real testament to the fact that the vocals really speak for themselves when put into the context of the track, and that's something you sometimes don't really see. This song hits a halfway point and launches into a really cool section that embraces again that dense soundscape they nail often, and brings in some distorted drums and atmospheric elements that tie the section together really nicely. It continues under that generated steam, and goes on at a great pace.
10. Clown Blood/Orpheus' Bobbing Head - 3:56
Now, if you fell in love with that volatile punk driven sound, this is a track you're gonna really love. It's straight in, and slams into the verse with a more chunky bassline than before. It's really nice to hear it flourish more than it has, because the sound is thick and palpable and really adds to the foundations of the track. I'm not sure if this is a term we use when describing music, but when I think of 'negative space' I think of tattoos right - the lack thereof colour or space that creates defined shapes that aren't inked in, but in music, I think of the use of singular elements that really stand alone well without the need for layering or soundscape. The chorus here strips back to just this beeping sound and then builds again, and I'd claim the use of 'negative space' here is brilliant. just letting the thing beneath it all do it's thing for a few seconds, before moving on. It slams again into that punky sound with distorted muted guitars in the chorus section that sounds awesome, and the guitars pan between the ears which is a really cool and immersive feature.
11. kms - 2:36
This track is a bit different, in that its sung by keys player and additional vocalist Kim Paisey instead of Gareth David. It's a welcome break, and her voice is just as good as the frontman. It's in a higher register than his, so has a completely different sonics to it. It has that same feel than any of the other tracks, with some awesome building in the opening seconds, but really lets her song breath. The lyrics are again put on show, with words bleeding along into other lines, but it embraces this new more pop-centric approach that feels both accessible but also completely finetuned in their style. The breakdown brings back David and ties the song back around into a new sound that in my opinion clashes a little with the original feeling of the track, muddying the waters ever so slightly. I wish Paisey was left to sing on that moment, and really allow herself to be true beginning and end to this one, but nonetheless a great track.
12. III. Surfing a Contrail - 0:37
Another interlude. It's cool. Not much to say.
13. Moonstruck - 3:27
Another joyful opener here. It's a great loop of vibrant clean guitars and cymbals that really complements the later verse. Again the lyrics are brilliant, it emanates this feeling of youthful exuberance. It again builds and moves at its own pace, and although is nothing too serious or crazy, it's such an easy listen that I can't help but love it. It's a shorter entry, but does by no means skimp on the feeling or razor sharp instrumentation. Plus, there's enough clever lyricism to fill an entire post within this track - and a potential Fall Out Boy reference? I'm in.
14. 0898 HEARTACHE - 5:16
I said Feast of Tongues was one of my favourites of this year yeah? Well, guess which song is eagerly snapping at its heels. It's this one. Although the opening is again one of those odd repeated motifs, this track is really something special. The repeated phrases of the instruments again reel you in, the tap of the cymbal and repeated guitar notes. Those lyrics are beautiful, cutting and emotional. You are taken gently by the shoulder in this opener and provided with some really emotive song writing before the bass drum kicks in and grabs you by the throat. In the vocals you feel that similar edge bring itself back. You know what's coming, and if you're me you are dying to see where it all goes. And then it cranks into a new gear with this new venom to it, this vocal delivery that sounds both emotive and desperate, like you really need to hear the words he's saying. The refrain is my favourite part, the gentle lyrics into the screams and the triumphant breakdown. The lyrics cut like a knife, 'I plucked a white hot shooting star to wish upon when times are hard, an asterix against you're name'. You can almost hear these words being shouted down a telephone in a callbox, a declaration to everyone you ever cared about on the other side of the line. It plays around with the old paradigm of an 0898 number being a UK adult entertainment hotline, but instead being used as this topographical arrowhead for a feeling of overwhelming emotion, sometimes doubt, sometimes heartbreak, sometimes something completely new. Wow.
15. Adult Acne Stigmata - 2:54
Another intimate one here, with acoustic strummed guitar and pretty raw sounding vocals. It brings around bass and more background vocals that layer brilliantly, finally bringing that 'all hell' lyric into the mix. Then a piano and subtle harmonies. The closer on this track is doing, once again, the thing I praised so much in their other tracks, It's building organically, almost perfectly, layering that same strings onto the mix. It brings it back to just vocals and keys for a refrain that hits home with it's close to home lyrics bringing about the end to the track and the entire album- 'we know too well, it's all hell'.
Overview: No album can be truly perfect. There is always going to be something that grinds your gears a little or that makes you feel a little less in love with a project. That's totally okay, and normal. When it comes to All Hell, those pitfalls come extremely few, and very far between. Bar the odd song I simply wouldn't put too high up on my top 10, and the instrumentals which although cool felt a little redundant, this is one smash hit from a band I know not too much about. Between the cutthroat and damning lyricism, the insanely sharp performances on all metrics of instrumentation and solid production, this record really is something special - and I'd recommend if you're a fan of the genre to give this a look. I really doubt it will disappoint.
Highlights: The Coin-Op Guillotine, Feast of Tongues, Moonstruck, 0898 HEARTBREAK
Rating: 8.5/10
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