Review Summary: discomfortzone
If any band has earned their right to a little bit of autopilot as a treat, it’s Touché Amoré. When three excellently sad hardcore records led to the devastating
Stage Four in the mid-2010s, it felt like there was little the band could still say or do to truly add to their achievements. 2020’s
Lament confirmed this ever so slightly: while undeniably good, the album felt like it was trying its hand at more expansive songwriting
for the sake of it, rather than out of necessity. For the first time in their career, emotions didn’t exclusively serve songs: songs served songs, too.
Spiral in a Straight Line strives to strike a balance. It’s a collection of great songs, varies in pace, and is recognisably Touché. Jeremy Bolm sounds as distressed as ever, but doesn’t force his voice to places it probably shouldn’t go (let’s face it, “Reminders” was a mistake): instead, he writes some of the most instantly memorable choruses of his entire career. The vicious “Disasters” soars with anxiety and will undoubtedly pair nicely with any
Parting the Sea… cuts on future setlists, while “Subversion” puts forth a gorgeously integrated Lou Barlow feature on the record’s most intricate cut - grand for the sake of it, but very enjoyable. As a whole,
Spiral in a Straight Line might just be the most easily digestible Touché Amoré project yet: it’s catchy, it’s pretty, it’s not overwhelming in its trademark gloom, and it doesn’t overstay its welcome. Cuts like “Mezzanine” and “This Routine” could have been stretched out to hit the four minute mark, but they feel entirely effective and approachable at roughly half that runtime (still double the time of the average old school cut, mind you).
Moreover, the band’s illustrious lush melodies show up all over this record. Every song, regardless of intensity or pace, features beautifully layered guitar work and a rhythm section perfectly in tune with every emotion hurled at you by Bolm. In short,
Spiral in a Straight Line is a great album - and yet, it is clear that Touché Amoré could probably dream up something like this in a timeframe significantly shorter than the four years since
Lament. I think that’s okay, though. If your comfort zone of beautifully intense sadness sounds this reliably great, there’s no reason not to explore it a little further, at your own pace.
