Following the dark, experimental In Ribbons, Pale Saints returned to comparatively sunny sounds for Slow Buildings, their final studio album. There's still plenty of darkness to go around -- most notably, there's ten-minute slow-burner "Henry", which rides a moody, churning bassline with organ accompaniment to a dramatic, funereal conclusion -- but a good chunk of the album is spent returning to and refining the bright, upbeat sounds of their early singles. Also, ex-Lush vocalist Meriel Barham, who did secondary vocals on Ribbons, steps in as lead vocalist, and she's great.
Yes, that's an awful album cover. It took me years to move past it and give the album a shot, and I'm glad I did.
Track listing:
1. King Fade
2. Angel (Will You Be My)
3. One Blue Hill
4. Henry
5. Under Your Nose
6. Little Gesture
7. Song of Solomon
8. Fine Friend
9. Gesture of a Fear
10. Always I
11. Suggestion
The seeds left in her head
Meriel Barham joined the band in 1990 - as the second guitarist and vocalist - prior to the recording of the Half-life EP.
ReplyDeleteThanks mate! SuperbBoxer
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