Animal Joy [CD]

`The Golden Archipelago' marked the final act of Shearwater's `Island Arc' trilogy of albums and it was always going to be fascinating to see what approach the band would take next - would they go even further into the realms of the concept album or would they make a play for mainstream acceptance with a more conventional release. Well, on the evidence of `Animal Joy' it appears that they have for the most part taken the latter approach, although Shearwater remain an act who just can't help but flirt with notions of a high artistic concept none the less - of course this is a great thing, we'd never want to see the band temper these wildly ambitious urges.

Make no mistake however - change is afoot. On first hearing the intro to the opening `Animal Life' the artist I was most reminded of was Jonsi, lead singer with Sigur Ros who released a solo album that contained a number of high tempo, optimistic tracks with propulsive military style drumming and insistent high register vocals. On that album he sounded newly energised and similarly here Shearwater sound in thrall of nature, and animal instinct in particular. There is also a commercial sheen in evidence, with conventional lyrics and a more restrained vocal arrangement you could almost imagine Coldplay recording something similar (who said inferior...?). It works well as a first track here.

`Animal Joy' contains three of the most conventionally rocking songs of the band's career so far, `Breaking the Yearlings' is drum driven and tribally intense, `Immaculate' is an all out breakneck assault and `Pushing the River' is underpinned by tight bursts of drums (think `Morning Bell' by Radiohead). There is certainly a great deal of pleasure to be had listening to the band cut loose on this material but, and there is a big but, I do feel Shearwater are still better suited to delivering grandiose epics and restrained, minimal beauties. In particular, Meiburg's voice is so distinctive and powerful I prefer him to use his full power sparingly, to exercise restraint - here he is full on for much of the material.

Luckily there are some truly excellent highlights to savour that play to what I see as Shearwater's obvious strengths, the piano led `You as You Were' is the standout track on the album for me, providing a perfect platform for Meiburg's full vocal range, the repeated refrain of `I am leaving the life' resonates powerfully - it goes straight in to my all time favourite 10 songs by the band. This number is followed by the only composition to break the 5 minute mark, `Insolence' - a welcome exercise in build and release, this track adds some hugely important depth to `Animal Joy', an experimental offering to sink your teeth into. `Star of the Age' is also worthy of a mention, it reminds me a great deal of Bowie, certainly not a bad thing, it is actually hard for me not to imagine substituting the Thin White Duke's vocals in! A strident way to wrap up the disc.

While it is exciting to hear Shearwater breaking into new territory this is a transitional album lacking that perfectionist touch and the tight quality control has been relaxed letting a little bit of filler onto this release. `Rook' for me remains the closest to a perfect distillation of Meiburg's vision so far but I welcome the experimental and brave approach taken here.

Shearwater have once again hit the heights with this magnificent new album. Urgent, pulsating, primal, passionate, uplifting, from the first to the last, this collection of songs wears its heart on its sleeve and hits you with a breathless intensity. Shearwater have moved forward with new confidence, bourn from the success of their last three albums (the Island Arc trilogy). Songs here, once again, build upon the band's key qualities - raw, plaintive piano, eager riffs, driving industrial percussion and Meiburg's haunting, hovering baritone. However, there is more of a rocky feel overall, and fewer quieter reflective moments.
`Animal Life' kicks off the album (with riffs which `The National' would be proud), a driving buoyant beast . Likewise `Breaking the yearlings' continues in a similar vein, with twangy guitar, handclaps merging into organ, like an indie rock Duran Duran on an experimental bent. `Dread Sovereign' slows us down, with chunky guitar and handclaps that melt into a sea of reverbed sound - a chance for a breath! `You as you were' with the band's signature piano tapping, builds up layers and momentum like an Indie Coldplay (I mean that in a good sense!)
`Immaculate' is as close as they get to a mainstream sound - a fast moving indie guitar and drum fest. `Pushing the River', with its underlying driving bass riff, driving drum rhythms, distant chanting background vocals and feedback driven guitar gliding on the wall of sound could sail on for ten minutes and you wouldn't get bored. One feels slightly cheated at under five minutes! If there's one addition some songs call for, it's a bit more self indulgence, a longer feast for the ears - they certainly have the ability to produce swirling, complex rhythms, riffs and yearning vocals in a dense atmosphere of sound to recall Talk Talk at their most creative.
`Animal Joy' is a joyous album from a band on top form enjoying the moment in the sun. Luckily for us this doesn't take them into the mainstream. They are far too good to take that route.

Jonathan Meiburg, lead singer and songwriter of the Austin TX based Shearwater promised something a little different from this release and whilst there is no radical sea shift evident, listeners of the band's previous albums will notice a more muscular approach with loud guitars and more prominent drums dominating. On previous releases there was a little more room to breathe with Meiburg's piano leading many songs and Thor Harris's excellent percussion always subtle and varied beneath an array of diverse instruments including Kimberley Burke's airy and melodic double bass. On Animal Joy there is less space in the music making for a more claustrophobic listening experience and meaning that intensity is created by louder distorted guitar rather than the array of instruments prevalent on the likes of the last album, The Golden Archipelago.

Comparisons with Spirit of Eden era Talk Talk (a millstone around the band's neck courtesy of lazy journalists for a few years now) can well and truly be put to bed with this release. Whereas previously the lengthy instrumental passages using diverse instruments could indeed be compared to Mark Hollis's band, on Animal Joy we have an altogether rougher sound, much more like a conventional rock band playing short, concise numbers interspersed with feedback and strong bass (Burke seems to have shelved the double bass in favour of bass guitar for most of the songs on this album).

One thing that hasn't changed is the quality Meiburg's compositions and the breadth of the band's ambitions. From the opening Animal Joy with its joyful, soaring melody and thunderous drums we are in safe hands and as the album develops tune after tune reveal themselves with You as You Were and the closing Star of the Age standing out as particular highlights.

Highly recommended for fans of melodic and bookish indie rock.