Shearing Pinx are one of those bands that whether or not their music is meant to be good, you know that at least they're having fun doing it. This becomes evident on Weaponry's 6-minute opener that is boldly titled "I Am Jim O'Rourke" which showcases an onslaught of detuned guitars and pounding drums that make you think that if this didn't have any musical intentions, they would be breaking their instruments. After hearing that, it's reasonable to assume that Weaponry is entirely free-form. However, it's basically what Shearing Pinx have been doing for a while now, but better than ever.
When comparing this to their previous album Poison Hands, the simple aspect of their music has been abolished. Another thing to point out is the intensity level. The album grabs your attention with its no-wave cacophony and distortion emphasis. It may be a bit much to handle, being nearly 40 minutes in length; but it requires a certain mood in order to be enjoyed. If you're expecting even a single pop gem like "Stairs" on Weaponry, I wouldn't count on it. The only time that I noticed a melody was in the final track "Me & The Queen", but it doesn't come off anywhere as poppy. Weaponry has an atonal theme to it which I think is the best way Shearing Pinx could go about performing.
This album's only weakness is that while it does provide noisy guitar tantrums, its quieter moments seem very dull and boring in comparison. However, the quieter parts often build to walls of noise and feedback that are well worth the wait. If you're a fan of bands like Night Wounds or Shearing Pinx's back catalog, I would say that this is their best album to date. It offers both diversity and maturity in Shearing Pinx's sound. Highly recommended.
glad to see you're back into the swing of things w/the reviews!
ReplyDelete