Shipping News somehow manage to be one of post-rock's pioneering groups, while still refraining from poster-child status with their low-key reputability. Their 1997 debut Save Everything is a prime blueprint for the progressive, linear structures that would come of bands like Mogwai, Tortoise, and June of 44-- which is no surprise considering that Shipping News includes members of June of 44 and Rodan. After a five-year wait between Flies The Fields and their latest effort, One Less Heartless To Fear, this begs the question regarding what will come of Shipping News. 2010 is laden with classic indie rock acts attempting to revive their sound, but instead show their age in newer material.
One Less Heartless To Fear consists of seven new works and two songs (those being "Morays (Or Demon)" and "Axons And Dendrites") from Flies The Fields. This newer assembly of songs shows the band at their most immediate state, almost completely contradicting their entire discography. Rather than showcasing a gentle build, Shipping News isolate the climactic moments from the slow fabrications and accomplishes the goal within a 3-4-minute length. The opener "Antebellum" informs us of this direction from the very start: without introduction, it begins with a chugging bass line and pounding drums as vocalist/guitarist Jeff Mueller details some sort of a murder plot within the lyrics "The first thing on our action list is to take your severed head down off the shelf, put it in a museum case" emptying into a frenzy of arpeggiated cacophony.
Contrast is given towards the end with the following three tracks, which keep the progressive nature present while also serving as the album's more melodic passages to counter the relentless first half. This album's only falter is within the production: One Less Heartless To Fear was recorded digitally in two different venues, and it sounds that way. The audience cheering after a couple of these songs detracted from the alienation that Shipping News' previous efforts all encompassed, and negates the idea of this being a "studio" album. Luckily as mentioned, this only happens at a couple instances.
Though the production was a bit off-putting, it is reassuring to know that a band as aged as Shipping News hasn't lost any sense of ambition. Over this five-year gap, two of the members have been married and have children-- which, as expected, could have limited the brashness of the songwriting. The information surrounding this album made me apprehensive, but I'm pleased to report that Shipping News stay as sincere as ever on One Less Heartless To Fear.
[Shipping News Myspace]
[Buy One Less Heartless To Fear from Karate Body/Noise Pollution Records]
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