Review Summary: Listening to this is like trying to cram a bunch of acorns into a sock filled with Jell-O.
This album is insane, seriously insane. It sounds very similar to math rock in some areas, while in others, it consists of heavy post-rock. It's all over the place, all of the time. Every single song on this album almost lacks a flow and structure. However, at the same time, the band manages to create a barely standing structure and flow out of the insanity. I still cannot figure out why this album sounds good, I still cannot figure out why I enjoy it. Perhaps I have lost my musical sanity. That must be it. How could this possibly so great? I really don't know, but somehow, it is.
This is schizophrenia in the form of music. It works somehow. No, actually, it doesn't work. What am I even saying? This is pure disarray, I don't even know what's going on here. There are dolphin noises in one of the songs. DOLPHIN NOISES! No joke. There's really not a bit of rhyme or reason here, not at all. Every song starts out fast, or slow, or maybe in between; then each song might lead into a mathy section, or totally break down into something insane, or just pure static. Not one of the songs sounds like another song. Are they really even songs? I don't even know. I don't know what this is. I don't even think Loose Lips Sink Ships knows what this is. Maybe this is what it sounds like when the cerebral complexes of a musical group collide with each other. I really don't know.
It's a good sound though, no matter how insane it is. A crazy sound? Sure. A sound that shouldn't sound good? Yeah, definitely. A sound that's amazing? You've got that right.
Loose Lips Sink Ships has broken the boundaries of post-rock since they were mere pups, with their debut release of Puptent. However, even that album still had some of the quiet-loud-quiet structures that are so familiar in post-rock. The Contemporary Issues of Celibacy completely does away with any formula or structure. It substitutes the classic post-rock formula with a quiet-or loud- or sort of loud- why don't we put this sound here- crazy guitar riffs here- 23/8 beat here- end it with some random noises- "Lets throw in a dolphin." formula. As I've said so many times, it's pure insanity. However, this insanity sounds so good.
The opening seconds of the first song of the album, "Oh, Debit!" sound like something that Volcano Choir would do, with a sort of haunting, soft choir. This gives the listener the impression that this album will make sense and be very laid-back. However, Loose Lips Sink Ships flip that thought entirely on its side. This whole album is just a strange paradox. But is it even paradoxical in anyway? Not really. But, it sure sounds like a paradox. Each song gets stranger and stranger. The first few intro songs stick to a fairly normal format, but then the rest of the songs just go off the tracks in every way imaginable. Especially " Ch-Change In Vulture-Dolphin Pa-Patterns." That song is easily the most random song I have ever heard. When I first listened to it, I actually laughed. It's rare when an album makes you laugh because it's so unique and random. This isn't an album that is laughably bad in any way shape or form, however. It is simply so unorthodox that it is easy to smile, or laugh, a few times while one is listening to The Contemporary Issues of Celibacy.
I really don't know what insanity goes through Loose Lips Sink Ships' heads, but it's a good insanity. They lack seriousness in such a lighthearted way, that it just makes this album such a pleasing listen. However, just because these guys lack seriousness does not mean they lack talent. The arpeggios on this album are incredible, the guitar rhythms are fantastic, and the drum beats are always somehow in-sync with the spastic guitars. All in all, this is a very well done album.
Even if this is schizophrenic post-rock with a little twist of math rock, it is still an extremely good album. It may be a little quirky, but that quirkiness makes this album stand out. This band has potential. Hopefully, they can save the increasingly generic genre of post-rock.
And finally, this album is available for free at Loose Lips Sink Ships' bandcamp. Here: http://looselipssinkships.bandcamp.com/album/the-contemporary-issues-of-celibacy
(And, as was pointed out to me by a comment, this album is a split with El Pin Meldou, just a side-note. )
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