Who are these people sampling Miley Cyrus, and what have they done with Alt-J ?
English indie rock band Alt-J made a big impression with their debut album “An Awesome Wave,” winning over audiences and critics alike with innovative lyrics and immediately appealing rhythms. On the first listen, “An Awesome Wave” impresses.
Their new album, “This Is All Yours,” is different. It takes more time to slowly build, and it goes in odd directions (like sampling Miley Cyrus). It’s a brilliant piece of work, but anyone drawn in by songs “Breezeblocks” or “Tessellate” won’t necessarily love “This Is All Yours,” and that’s okay.
Don’t pop the CD in (or click play on iTunes) and expect instant excitement, or you’ll be sorely disappointed – the album begins with two slow-paced intros, “Intro” and “Arrival In Nara.” Both of these tracks are smoothly beautiful, but they also mean you’ll have to wait around seven minutes for lyrics to kick in.
It’s a statement: this album is going to spend a lot more time on the subtle pleasures. In keeping with that, lead singer Joe Newman’s signature croon is even less easy to understand on many songs, which is a shame – the lyrics on “This Is All Yours” are incredible, hip poetics full of playfulness and heartfelt meaning. Listening to Newman lilt “Sleeplessly embracing / Butterflies and needles / Line my seamed-up join / Encased in case I need it” on album standout “Hunger Of The Pine,” one can’t help but think he has a place in the poetry world.
If you’re jonesing for fun singles, “This Is All Yours” has its fair share. “Every Other Freckle” is probably the most classically “Alt-J” anthem on the album, a song about lust that builds to a catchy crescendo using signature creative touches. “Left Hand Free” is Alt-J doing The Black Keys, and as jarring as it is to hear a blues-rock song among various flavors of alt-rock, it’s a lot of fun.
That said, the album belongs to “Nara.” The first traditional song on the album, “Nara” is named after the Japanese city famous for its forest. It’s a slow, soft ballad about a gay man’s desire to marry, which ties into the album’s greater theme of personal expression and freedom.
It’s a song that needs settling into, a quality shared by most of the album. “Hunger Of The Pine” is a standout slowroll, combining a triphop beat and Miley sample with soulful vocals. Most of the rest of the album is similar, understated, and experimental with depth of feeling. Though they may seem slow at first, they’re worth sitting down with.
Comparing “This Is All Yours” to “An Awesome Wave,” there are less bursts of color and more long, deliberate strokes. The big picture may require time to see, but rest assured – it’s a work of art.