A Welcome Return To Form
Their first full-length release in 5 years, 'Cormorant' Shriekback's tenth studio offering sees this always progressive but equally, at times, frustrating band back to their genre-defying best. The unmistakable vocal ability of Barry Andrews is, as ever, present the remainder of the band made of stalwarts past and present. Martyn Baker on drums and Mark Raudva on bass provide a taut rhythm section fleshed out by the return of XTC's Andy Partridge on guitar and Wendy Partridge on backing vocals. Equal parts light and dark, there is a mysterious rawness to the overall sheen of this album. Quite clearly a labor of some studio based love, the deep synth fuelled ambience, low range basslines and pop influenced melodies float from the speakers with an original yet familiar feel, immediately placing the band into a modern context free to sit alongside some of the more commercial leftfield artists of today.
Album opener, 'Ronny,' lifts 'Cormorant' from the ground with pace, Andrew's unmistakable baritone floating above Barker's percussion to psychedelic effect, while the whispered vocal of Wendy Partridge immediately lends the track an extra edge. Elsewhere, very much the family affair, 'Load The Boat' features Barry Andrews' son, Finn's, passionate backing vocals; the near perfect fit of their twin vocals a throbbing mantra to another world.
In a climate of too easily disposable pop and rock music, it is a relief to literally hear the attention to detail and studio time pouring from the speakers, the Bogdan Raczynski meets Kid Spatula ear splitting production of tracks such as, 'The Strongest Wind that Blows' and 'Reason with the Beast.' are such highlights, wheras the more ambient tracks such as 'True Passage' only add to the slickness of the overall package.
Two unmistakable themes appear to punctuate 'Cormorant'. Nautical imagery is conjured up on songs such as 'Sea Theory' and 'Waterbaby,' the elements and the earth make up the other. Lyrics such as, "Cold shoals their bloodless arms enfold the earthen engines moan corruption" on 'The Strongest Wind that Blows' is the point where the two themes collide, very much lending the album a brooding yet sizeable mood and one that fits perfectly with sense of purpose created from the music produced.
A welcome return to form for the band, 'Cormorant' is a greatly progressive album with a strong moral sense: personal strength is derived from giving yourself up to the music, whether you dance to it or make it for a living. Each side is as important as the other, a symbiotic relationship between artist and listener created as a result and it is this relationship that makes 'Cormorant' and the artist behind it so compelling.