Has the cure for insomnia been discovered?
'Coal' is the second album from Australian three-piece Devastations. With such a choice of moniker, you'd be forgiven for expecting the band to produce tunes in the metal or even emo genres; but the reality is far more laidback. Devastations do employ electric guitars, bass and a drum kit; but they also make use of strings and piano, combining the two to produce a chilled-out rock sound that the music scene has been largely devoid of in recent years.
The album opens with 'Sex & Mayhem', a track that immediately brings to mind the band CAKE, particularly due to Conrad Standish's low, throaty vocals. Driven by a steady drum beat and bass line, the song also employs stringed instruments at its chorus but never becomes as intrusive or exciting as a CAKE track would. It's not unpleasant to listen to and would perhaps make good background music for a montage scene in a film, but that's just what it is – background music. Second and third tracks, 'The Night I Couldn't Stop Crying' and 'I Don't Want To Lose You Tonight' give the false impression of being heartfelt ballads when their titles are seen on paper, but in reality they have about as much emotion as a Maths textbook. 'The Night I Couldn't Stop Crying' is slightly redeemed by the guitar-driven section towards the end, in which the pace perks up and one may feel a vague inkling to, if not get up and dance (that'd be a bit too much activity, really), then perhaps begin to tap one's foot. Sadly, 'I Don't Want To Lose You Tonight' lacks any redeeming features, other than that it's clear that there was once an idea behind it – only it somehow got lost along the way - maybe Devastations should start over again on this one (and try to sound more devastated next time).
Mercifully, the album has only ten tracks, although the remainder continue in the same fashion. The slower songs, such as the title track and 'A Man Of Fortune', are likely to fill the listener with the same sense of ennui that usually only emerges when you've been sat on a long-distance train for four hours, with another four to go and the travelling companion on the other side of your seat happening to be an old man with BO and loose false teeth that require constant readjustment. More upbeat tracks, such as 'Take You Home' manage to inspire brief moments of joy, largely in their instrumental sections where electric guitars and strings combine in an interesting fashion. Penultimate track, 'What's A Place Like This Doing In A Girl Like You?' is probably the strongest on the album (as well as the most wittily titled), but it still errs on the forgettable and after hearing it play once you're unlikely to want to press back and hear it again.
Devastations have a fresh approach to music, especially in a world of hyperactive singers and jangly guitars, but sadly, it doesn't inspire anything but lethargy. Even laidback songs need some passion behind them as otherwise the music feels pointless; and even the players here sound bored, quickly inspiring the same feeling in their listeners. Conrad Standish has an unusual voice that has the potential to be interesting, but not in this project – he drones on whilst his backing players use their instruments as dispassionately as possible. 'Coal' is an inoffensive album, and it could serve adequately as background music to a card game or in an upmarket wine bar; but it's not something to listen to on its own - unless you're having trouble getting to sleep, that is.