Review Summary: Another great band to come out of the Windmill scene.
Post-punk has recently been going through a resurgence, especially in the UK. The genre allows for tons of experimentation due to its flexible sound. Black Midi takes the genre in a jazzy noise rock direction, Black Country brings in post-rock influences, and Squid has elements of math rock. Courting is a new band in this new scene, and they too stand out amongst the rest with the focus of more electronic soundscapes being implemented into the instrumentation.
Guitar Music is a very short album where the 8 songs reach a 32 minute runtime. Most of the songs here are quick and conscise, but they are definitely not forgettable. The album begins with the glitchy, electronic cut
Cosplay / Twin Cities. It is brief, but it introduces us to the album's strange style flawlessly.
Crass (Redux) is the noisiest track here as it builds up and up until it reaches it’s satisfying conclusion. One of the most obvious strengths this album possesses is its charismatic frontman, Sean Murphy-O’Neill. Not only does he never fail to create a magnetic performance, but he also forges multiple choruses that are nothing but infectious.
Loaded and
Jumper puts his talents on display along with the strong electronic presence that permeates the choruses, making it much more impactful. However,
Famous is where the band truly shines. The nostalgic melodies are reminiscent of early 2000’s Brit-pop, raising the catchiness to even bigger heights than before. The last minute reaches an emotional yet energetic climax that keeps me replaying the song all the time.
Uncanny Valley Forever is without a doubt the most unique song on
Guitar Music. It slows down the band's sound into a more relaxing listen. The gentle guitar melodies are great, and the build up to the noisier section of the song makes the track even more enjoyable. This track demonstrates that the band can do more and they are fully capable of expanding their sound into different styles as well.
However, not every song on
Guitar Music is an instant hit.
Tennis and
PDA are great songs on their own but they do fail to stand out amongst the tracklist. The opener,
Cosplay / Twin Cities, does make for a solid introduction to the album, but it does lack some replay-ability.
Uncanny Valley Forever concludes with an electronic section, and while it does add more variety, it does feel tacked on as it ultimately feels unnecessary. The song has already reached the 7 minute mark by the time it starts.
Overall,
Guitar Music is an incredibly strong debut, even amongst the sea of new wave post-punk groups. They managed to carve out their own niche in the experimental genre with their electronic touches, making them a refreshing listen. The songs here are great, with their infectious hooks and unmatched energy. The short runtime allows the album to never feel like it overstays its welcome but still makes the listener want more with ideas that feel like they can be fleshed out even more on later releases. Despite a couple minor flaws, this is an album that I can recommend easily because of its general accessibility and catchiness.
