The Black Angels - Directions to See a Ghost
I’m currently going through a bit of musical crisis. Gone are the days of being entirely sure of what I want. In the grand scheme of musical genres, where is this middle level civil servant to place himself? I’ve been listening to a lot of Drone, a lot of Folk and a fair bit of electro recently, yet I can’t quite place where it is that I am supposed to belong. This musical identity crisis is one, I am sure, is encountered by many bands along with the realization that the debut album they released all those years ago isn’t going to be paying out royalties forever.
The ‘sophomore album’ issue is one that confronts all. Which direction to take? Do we reinvent ourselves completely, or do we keep treading that well trodden path? Is reinvention necessarily a good thing? Not necessarily, but one certainly has to adapt to the changing musical surroundings.
‘The Black Angels’ have recently been faced with this particular question.
Two years ago, they released the rather yummy ‘Passover’. A work of real merit and, it has to be said, real beauty. Needless to say, I had been anticipating the release of ‘Direction to See a Ghost’ rather eagerly. However, given the nature of the band, I was expecting the unexpected. Sludgy 60’s psychedelia certainly gives scope for the unexpected.
Imagine my surprise when, despite a few new tricks learned along the way, I was presented with an almost identical album in terms of style and delivery.
The band have certainly developed. Alex Maas’ voice sounds eerie as ever when combating heroically against those wonderful drone inspired guitars. And yet, it is when they break from that particular mould, that the band enjoy their greatest success. Never/Ever is both wonderfully uplifting and easily the strongest track on a very solid album. In fact, this song is what really kicks the album off for me. The door to what I was expecting from the album in the first place. Everything from Never/Ever onward feels like some kind of experimental build up to the truly epic finale ‘Snake in the Grass’.
Despite all of this, you can’t help to be a little disappointed. A band that offers so much appears to be resting on its laurels. ‘Directions’ is a fantastic album in its own right. It would be a stand alone record in a stand alone genre if it wasn’t for ‘Passover’. I like this record, I really do. I just can’t escape this feeling that I like it solely because it reminds me of something I like rather than standing up to me on its own. I’ll keep trying.