Wild Beasts - Smother

To be quite honest, I was utterly unfamiliar with Wild Beasts' discography prior to this. It had somehow bypassed my attention that 2009's (their second album) Two Dancers was nominated for the Mercury award -

First track 'Lion's Share' is a brooding mixture of Glass-inspired pianos and haunting vocals, Hayden Thorpe's falsetto at times evoking Antony Hegarty and at all times harmonising perfectly with Chris Talbot's baritone. On 'Bed of Nails' there's a nice percusssion that builds in rhythm quite wonderfully; the lyrics a little bit blatant for what it's about ("Oh Ophelia, I feel you full") but in referencing Frankenstein and "lanky-limbed heap"s it remains unusual rather than creepy. With a slow drumbeat 'Deeper' continues with the lyrics about you-know-what ("the smile across my face/ the fires inside you rage"), this time Tom Fleming's voice taking charge.


A distant guitar on 'Loop the Loop' coupled with the harmonic "ooh"s of the chorus make it a particular highlight for me, whilst 'Plaything' opts for a slow and unorthodox drum hook that does its best to draw attention away from what, for me, is a little bit of a cringey opening line

New squeeze, take off your chemise
And I'll do as I please

'Invisible' sings of the all-powerful consumptive nature of love, over one of the album's probably weakest tracks - the lyrics really saving it this time. Hayden's voice takes its most prominent form on single 'Albatross', a tale of regrets ("the secrets that I should've shared drown in me") and blame - the title's poor albatross being the centre of it. 'Reach A Bit Further' reminds me a little of Sia's 'Breathe Me' were it done on a guitar rather than piano. The line "Tearjerker, shadow-lurker, wonder-worker, reach a bit further" repeated rapidly adds a sense of urgency to a record that was at threat of sounding languid or lethargic.

The unusual sound effects of 'Burning' coupled with the self-flagellatory nature of the lyrics gives the track a heightened emotional appeal, revealing helplessness and inertia ("I'm ashamed / Lying fallen on some step / Clutching at the empty air"). Final track 'End Come Too Soon' is really the crowning glory on an emotional and pointedly open record - fittingly ceremonial ("Break some bread / the night's been blessed") and with a nice guitar riff that in its subtleties gives centre-stage to Thorpe's cries and genuine romantics ("Your skin looked waxen in the fading light / Moved down me, dancing like a sailing kite").


All in all the record's been a huge surprise for me. There are times that, as a reviewer, I begin to wonder if a new band will ever immediately move me and give me hope in an environment where every little detail (tracklistings, album sleeves, recording locations) is scrutinised way in advance of actually hearing the end result; perhaps ignorance of such bands as this until hearing the end product is bliss indeed. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

Rating: 8.5/10
Highlights: End Come too Soon, Loop the Loop, Reach A Bit Further, Lion's Share, Plaything
Avoid: n/a really, though Albatross didn't really grab me.
Artwork Watch: Feathers, diagonal squares, the inclusion of purple; it's perfect.