Review Summary: [food metaphor]
Blonde Redhead have long held a reputation for remaining cold-eyed and oblique even when they veer into the most uncomfortable emotional territory. Even today,
Misery is a Butterfly in particular is almost disconcertingly unflinching in its engagement with trauma, disfigurement and perversion, respectively; their work since has been anything from guarded to cryptic to outright icy in its perusal of whichsoever indie/shoegaze/chamber palettes were called for at the time. However, their latest record
Sit Down for Dinner subtly adjusts the frame on this image, laying down many of the band's least imposing and, in their way, warmest tracks to date, all while espousing the fundamentals that ultimately mark them out as a truly excellent band: disciplined songwriting, a knack for compellingly brittle vocal melodies that go hand-in-hand with the group's unorthodox inflections, and inventive, if understated, percussion parts. Forget that their botched 2014 chamber-flop
Barragan ever happened (not a tall order), and
Sit Down for Dinner fits snugly into their discography as a timely thaw following their foray into frosty dream pop on 2010's ever-underappreciated
Penny Sparkle.
All of this is immediately apparent on the opener "Snowman", which showcases a gloriously languid performance from vocalist Amedeo Pace (for my money his most melodious on record) alongside a winning set of hooks, a steady beat, and a chord progression so smooth that the chorus seems to arise purely of its own accord. "Snowman" is an instant highlight, but A. Pace is on top form throughout the record; though his past highlights are excellent, his lead vocal tracks have typically been outgunned and outnumbered by his counterpart Kazu Makino's, but between "Snowman" and the solemn lategame highlight "If", he nails some of the record's defining moments. His presence here has all the blithe manner and natural reassurance of a slow drink with an old friend.
True to form, Makino maintains a more evasive profile than A. Pace in her performances despite singing on the majority of tracks, though on the likes of "Before" and "Kiss Her Kiss Her", she too is willing to break cover for a rousing chorus. She has a unique talent for stressing the delicate qualities of her voice by emphasising the strain of each note more than its release: I am particularly drawn to the percussion-less "Rest of Her Life" for the spotlight and choice set of melodies it affords her (though sticksman Simone Pace is, as always, a secret highlight across the rest of the album). Makino has always had an unmistakable knack for balancing tenderness and anxiety, and this track shows both off to their full, though its impact is somewhat dissipated through the waif-like meander of the twin title tracks.
It's easy to call
Sit Down For Dinner a mature record and consider the description flattering: its energy levels rarely rise above 'stately', the band fall back on familiar songwriting chops with a lethargic confidence that feels vindicated at almost every turn, and the relaxed tempo, soothing arrangements and reluctance to overstate any given moment all suggest a sense of contentment that one rarely hears in a younger band. The collateral of this is that it gives these songs limited opportunity to distinguish themselves from one another across a cursory listen, yet even at its most tepid, the album is generously easy on the ear, making for one of the most immediately replayable Blonde Redhead albums to date: keep it on the go, and there's a real delight in the way these tracks gradually reveal individual nuances. I doubt anyone will be in a hurry to file this as either the weakest or the strongest Blonde Redhead record, but it might just be the most traditionally pleasant experience they've put their name to.
