Protomartyr: Consolation 12″

Description

Protomartyrfollow-up their critically acclaimed Domino debut,Relatives In Descent(2017) with theConsolationEP, a 4-track collection of new material recorded in collaboration withKelley Deal(The Breeders) andMike Montgomery(R. Ring, Ampline). Captured at Montgomery’s own studio, Candyland, the EP encapsulates the breadth of mood and stylistic variety of a full-lengthProtomartyralbum – from the short sharp shock of the opener “Wait,” through the mutant pop of “Same Face In A Different Mirror,” the epic “Wheel of Fortune,” to the beautiful closer “You Always Win.” Add to this Montgomery’ss recording skills, Deal’s unparalleled vocals, and the arrangements that see the inclusion ofJocelyn Hatch(viola),Evan Ziporyn(bass clarinet), andLori Goldston(cello), and the EP becomes a truly unique prospect inProtomartyr’sdiscography.

Our take: I must admit that Ive been hot and cold on Protomartyr lately. Ive listened to their records as they came out (we even carried their early singles back when they were first released) and loved everything up to Under Color of Official Right, but then they started to lose me. The The Agent Intellect and Relatives in Descent are rather dour records they were extremely dark, and Im not sure if iall of that darkness was too much for me or if I was just not interested in hearing something so not punk, but those records never clicked with me like the earlier ones did. Further, while Ive always loved the bands ambition, parts of those latter two records may have crossedthe line between ambitious and pretentious. Thats not meant to be a slight against those records many of my favorite records of all time are so heady and such intense listening experiences I barely ever listen to them. I never put on Joy Divisions Closer or Wires 154 unless Im in exactly the right mood, but I know that when I am in that mood they will hit me hard. Anyway, the four tracks on Consolation aresomething of a retreat from the depths of darkness probed on the last two LPs. Theres more of a spring in the bands step, the tempos are sprightlier, and the arrangements are denser, without the vast, open spaces of their recent stuff (which is another thing that those records have in common with Closer). Adding Kelly Deal from the Breeders on backing vocals is also great. Its like a trump card in the bands back pocket whenever Kellys voice pops into the mix my ears perk up and I stop whatever Im doing and just listen. If youve also driftedaway from Protomartyr this is a good place to jump back aboard, as these four tracks wont overstay their welcome, and theyll also remind you of why we all flipped for this band in the first place.