Review Summary: Rules of Enragement
A perfect fusion of noise rock, slowcore, and the 90's indie aesthetic, Lowercase released three albums before their unfortunate disbandment at the turn of the 21st century. Unfortunate indeed, if one takes a look at just how under-the-radar Imaad Wasif and his trusted drummer Brian Girgus were. A simple duo of guitar and drums has never been so potent, droning repetition has never felt so enthralling, and something so unfriendly has never seemed so... redeeming. Yet Lowercase pull off unbridled energy and restraint on their third and final album. This tour de force of pure pain-pleasure remains their testament.
The smothering grip of
The Going Away Present is felt immediately. In addition to a guest bassist, Girgus' simple drum beat seems to be all Wasif needs to drag us into his depressive frame of mind. His voice is aerial, somewhat overcast, and seemingly shrill at points but never whiny. Wasif's vocals are utterly haunting. As is the lyrical content, an amalgam of suffering that never seems like teenage love-life complaints but something much more sinister. From the beginning of the album we are pulverized by a hair-raising climax - and the ship of neurasthenia has just been launched.
Catchiness and hypnotic drone go hand-in-hand for Lowercase. Hooks from tracks such as "The Going Away Present" or "Last Stand" linger in the listener's ear days after a hearing. Despite being so damn dark,
The Going Away Present creeps into your mind like a ferocious case of apathy. "Willing to Follow You Down" is perhaps the most depressing song on the album, with a driving trio of instruments and Wasif's light vocals, pained and pleading with us through the speakers. The melancholic guitar slides only serve to further the experience. Speaking of guitar acoustics, the instruments on this LP, despite being so few, are absolutely stunning due to the spotless production. Every strum of the guitar and bass can be heard, every plucked note is a visceral and compelling part in the experience. The fourth track, "Glisten to the Pink", comes on as a much-needed break from the tension. A disturbing high note continues to plunk along with the discordance throughout. Despite its ostensibly wandering nature, the song wraps up nicely in a forceful three-chord conclusion. Almost instantaneously we are back in the fray, as "The Open Sea" washes us out towards vicious waters. "Last Stand" begins with Lowercase's favored, very effective opener for most of the tracks on
The Going Away Present: a driving line of drums and bass pressing onward to oblivion. The exceptional musicality never goes off the deep end either - the album closes with their magnum opus of a track, "Thistrainwillnotstop". Nearly twelve minutes in length, this wallowing monster starts off like a demented Slint number and ends in a brooding piano ballad.
Who would have expected a tight, dissonant punk album after the wave of indie rock had almost flatlined?
The Going Away Present's eight tracks seem to ebb and flow as one, imparting a lingering atmosphere on the listener. Yes, the album will beckon one back into its madness with each successive listen. It really is true. You don't know what's right for you.
