Review Summary: At times chaotic, at other times serene, occasionally frantic but always deliberate, Say So is as compelling as it is unique and unpredictable.
Boston-based avant-rock group Bent Knee are anything but static. At moments, Say So is an exercise in restrained chaos, transitioning between peaceful and quiet or light and cheery interludes to frantic heavy sections without warning. At other points, the band uses subdued introductions to build steadily towards dramatic, emotional crescendos. The sheer range of the band is absurd; one song is a ten minute progressive rock epic, another a four minute frenzy, and another a more linear, accessible song with a pop-style chorus. In general, Bent Knee do a great job of working these disparate ideas into a cohesive whole, but, while the songwriting is consistently great, Say So is occasionally a bit too jarring for its own good.
The album opens with “Black Tar Water, ” a short, dramatic piece that serves as a good introduction to the impressive vocal acrobatics demonstrated throughout the album by lead vocalist Courtney Swain. It’s followed by another album highlight, “Leak Water” which builds on a single, repeated guitar note into a rhythm section featuring detailed soundscaping by each member the band. One of Bent Knee’s biggest strengths is their ability to allow each member of their sextet to shine without compromising their ability to play as a group. The attention to detail from both the band and the production is excellent throughout the entire album, and it makes great tracks such as “Leak Water” even better, with each listen revealing more details.
After “Counselor,” a more temperamental song which features a peaceful violin intro, interplay between 50s commercial jingle music and metal, and a chant section with metric modulation, the band launches into “EVE,” the longest song and clear centerpiece of the album. Like “Counselor,” it transitions abruptly into heavy sections and between tempos. “EVE”’s music supports its lyrical themes, with the astral soundscaping and violent shifts coupling with lyrics pondering the “obsessive nature of creativity,” about a mad scientist creating a new child in their basement to improve upon his or her real children. Again, this is something the band does well throughout the album.
As the album transitions into “The Things You Love,” the band’s love for the unconventional begins to land some misses. The track opens in a loud, dramatic fashion, then cuts into a quiet, vocal-oriented section that later very steadily builds back up again. It’s an interesting song structure, but without peaking higher than it began, it makes for a bit of an unsatisfying resolution. Again, the individual passages are great, but Bent Knee’s unconventional structures occasionally come across as more disorienting than anything else.
Thankfully, the band finds their direction by the end of the album. The second to last song, “Hands Up” is a more straightforward tune with a fairly standard pop chorus. ‘Pop’ can be a bit of a bad word in the progressive rock world, but the more accessible music and catchy chorus is a welcome direction after the more gimmicky (But, again, not necessarily bad.) “Commercial.” “Hands Up”’s, odd, dragged out ending is the perfect transition to “Good Girl,” the excellent concluding song. Ben Levin’s deliberate, atmospheric guitar playing works perfectly with the track’s darker tone and slower progression. The song maintains focus throughout despite several shifts, and concludes with a satisfying emotional climax without needing the high energy in tracks such as “Black Tar Water” and “Nakami.”
In short, Say So is an excellent album that is occasionally too unconventional for its own good. In more memorable songs such as “Leak Water” and “Good Girl,” Bent Knee’s unique writing style and superb attention to detail comes through perfectly. In more forgettable songs such as “The Things You Love,” their refusal to use more standard song structures undermines their ability to craft memorable, emotionally engaging music. At the end of the day, the band’s hits vastly outnumber their misses; Say So is another engaging album from a band that refuses classification.
