Art for the masses? How could that work?
Back in 2000, Radiohead released Kid A upon both its fanbase and the world. Although not considered to be the best of their albums by any stretch of the imagination (universally, 1997's OK Computer generally scoops that prize), the album is a landmark. Not only did it divide its fanbase, but, for the majority of the indie music lovers, it was their first foray into art rock and avant garde. No longer did bands who formed in garages need to rely on the guitar/bass/drums formula to make music. No longer did people with more virtuosity or, at least, more eclectic tastes and influences need to harness themselves to satisfy the public.
Eight years have passed since that and we have arrived at “Forts” by The Boggs. While by no means anything like the challenging listen that greets people when listening to those early 90s Radiohead albums or, gasp, anything by Scott Walker after 1980, it is still a far cry from the mainstream of “conventional” indie/pop/rock. “Forts” is rather heavy on the samples and dischords and casts out standards of simple verse/chorus/middle eight/chorus structure. However, unlike contemporaries who have followed this direction, it does not sound particularly inventive or clever • missing what is surely the whole point of art rock.
At the end of the day it's all a question of storytelling. No matter how far out or plain noisy the sound is, it must emote a series of emotions or feelings to the listener. If an avant-garde artist has done the job properly then the listener is treated to one of the best, if not the most accessible, aural experiences imaginable. Unfortunately, “Forts” does not set itself forward with any particular conviction, becoming somewhat of a curio at best and a confused mess at worst. As mentioned before, the premise set out in the title track is something of a ramshackle but reasonably thrilling sounds that succeed in getting the pulse racing. However, the album quickly descends into a confused teenager, who suddenly feels self conscious of the clothes that they wear but nevertheless feels affinity to that particular group. What you are left with, after finishing the album, is a feeling that you're not entirely sure what you've just listened to.
The problem with “Forts” comes from the fact that it seems to fear what it could become. One can hear the potential in most of the tracks, but for the majority of people its just not going to satisfy, being too complicated for the indie crowd and too simple for the art rockers. It's a real shame as the avant-garde, no matter how watered down, is bitterly under represented in the mainstream at the moment. The Boggs may well be one to watch in the future as, I'll say it again, there is promise here, but this just isn't the great album that it could have been.