Review Summary: Art pop getaway for those late night, life questioning sessions...
In the last couple of years, Tim Bowness ventured significantly, pushing himself outside his comfort zone.
Flowers at the Scene featured several experiments, whereas No-Man’s
Love You to Bits successfully recaptured the group’s early disco pop phase. As a result, the latest LP,
Late Night Laments turned inward, shifting things around once more. He returned to familiar grounds, albeit with a newfound cohesiveness. The record is stripped of any abrasive moments, as the musician opted for a mellow experience, vividly expressing his stories. Thus, headphones are recommended to truly grasp its atmosphere.
Once again Brian Hulse stepped in to help flesh the tunes, however, significant contributions were added by ex-Porcupine Tree’s Colin Edwin (bass) & Richard Barbieri (keyboards) or Tom Atherton (vibraphone). This already rich canvas was augmented by Steven Wilson’s meticulous mixing. There are a variety of instruments being played on
Late Night Laments, yet they are discreetly complementing each other in order to create a lovely, intimate vibe. Of all tracks, ‘I’m Better Now’ and ‘Darkline’ are the only ones growing in intensity. The former starts with a shy synthesizer and vibraphone leads alongside Tim’s emotive croon. Once the drums kick in, the electronic pads and guitar solo push for a more powerful sound. On the other hand, ‘Darkline’ uses sequenced keys and Barbieri’s Moog solos to strengthen its otherwise delicate foundation. From here, most of the songs focus on expressing Bowness’ feelings with as much sonic restraint as possible. Unsurprisingly, the experience of his colleagues makes this task seem like child’s play. Tom Atherton’s vibraphone is the unsung hero on the album, easily changing moods from one tune to another, while Edwin’s upright bass creates a lush ambiance on the chamber art pop-ish ‘We Caught the Light’ and ‘Never a Place’. Moreover, ‘The Hitman Who Missed’ and ‘Northern Rain’ use warm synths and contrasting, mournful piano chords to back Tim’s intense vocals. Although minimal at times, the music feels quite volatile around the front man’s contributions. Traces of optimism grace ‘The Last Getaway’ as light sound scapes and sweet piano leads unfold. Nevertheless, they never move beyond this phase, suggesting a tale that might never materialize. Then, album closer ‘One Last Call’ offers a sobering, low-key lounge swing, gently putting you to sleep alone in your bed very late at night.
Unsurprisingly,
Late Night Laments brings forth a number of moods through which most people go through during uncertain times. Whether personal or not, we all sometimes press pause, questioning decisions, losses, feelings towards several people or events, not knowing exactly what's right or wrong. As a getaway of sorts, we close ourselves in our comfort bubble shunning the outside world for a while. Luckily, Tim kept his lyrics less specific to make them as relatable as possible. The music, however, as reserved as it is, often evokes quite an uncanny vibe. It is an immersive experience, still, one that you might not be willing to go through so often. The “less is more” approach paid off, although there aren’t many sweet, catchy numbers to cling to as on previous LPs.
