Geordie Greep鈥檚 鈥淭he New Sound鈥� is not going to be for everyone. Fans of his former act, the experimental British black midi, which disbanded in August, have never been faint of heart. And Greep鈥檚 solo debut further pushes the envelope.
Reminiscent of knack for bending genres and building worlds, 鈥淭he New Sound鈥� caters to those who can appreciate both a narrative-heavy show tune as well as a discordant progressive rock song.
The continuity from black midi to 鈥淭he New Sound鈥� is certainly there, particularly in Greep's medley of blues, jazz and funk. But this record is also unique, perhaps a letdown to a subset of black midi fans wanting more of the same.
鈥淗oly, Holy,鈥� the album's lead single, teases the rest of the record 鈥� an all gas, no brakes musical trip across genre and around the world, that vacillates between euphoria and chaos.
As the percussion, horns, saxophone, three pianos and of course Greep鈥檚 guitars 鈥� to name only a few of its instruments 鈥� compete for attention, Greep embodies a desperate, lustful character, shouting 鈥渉oly鈥� and intoning profane desires. 鈥淗ow 鈥檅out we take this further?," he sings. 鈥淚鈥檒l meet you in the bathroom.鈥� It's cacophonous, and somehow pleasing, evidence of Greep鈥檚 idiosyncratic skill.
The shattering and reinvention of musical styles continues 鈥� likely inspired in part by Brazil, where half of the songs on the album were recorded. The instrumental title track as well as the lyrically austere 鈥淏ongo Season" stand out for their Latin and influence.
An album title like 鈥淭he New Sound鈥� might be borderline obnoxious in its audacity, but then again, Greep is able to tickle listeners鈥� brains in a way only boundary-pushing art can. The description might be appropriate.
Greep rarely slows down, with the exception of the closer "If You Are But a Dream,鈥� where he croons like as a string quartet and horn ensemble add to the Old Hollywood mood.
He does occasionally throw black midi purists a bone, through sprechgesang 鈥� or speak-singing 鈥� and his at times aggressive guitar, the latter most obviously in 鈥淢otorbike."
These 11 tracks vary lyrically as much as they do sonically, moving from poetic and poignant to silly and distasteful, often within a single song.
Part of what accentuates Greep鈥檚 departure from black midi is its heavy theatrical flair, apparent through his emphasis on storytelling, like in 鈥淭hrough a War鈥� and 鈥淎s If Walz,鈥� and the uninhibited use of his voice 鈥� subdued vocals crescendo to literal howls on 鈥淭erra."
But nowhere is influence more prominent than the nearly 13-minute 鈥淭he Magician" 鈥� at least, until its final three minutes. Greep drowns his audience with harmonious bliss, masking the song鈥檚 descent into dissonant madness, and stealthily cranks up their tolerance for noise.
That choice, in some ways, reflects the full album 鈥� and proves that the ordered and earnest need not be at odds with the turbulent and irreverent.
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Krysta Fauria, The Associated Press
