A few thoughts about this great little album I've seen no media reaction to, sadly:
Having luckily found out about The Veils years ago thanks to the ever-helpful Thomas Bartlett (formerly found for the past three years at [...] Wednesday Morning Download/Audiofile section) recommending their neverendingly gorgeous song "Lavinia," I've been a pretty avid and constant follower of their music ever since. It's tough to divine information from the usually-reliable internet about The Veils at times, but well over a year ago, the band broke up after their basically brilliant and fully-formed debut, The Runaway Found. Finn Andrews, son of an XTC founder and the mastermind behind all the music, most likely, soon recreated the band with some old mates, pairing down the sound to something raw and more immediate and piano-driven, as opposed to the full-band, guitar-attack, drum-intensive sound from the debut. Happily, the gamble paid off, at least creatively (when the heck is this album going to see a US release?).
Andrews has a voice that SOME people say is an acquired taste, but I find it endlessly fascinating. Hopefully, you'll give it a real chance because it's a rich, emotive, and flexible instrument, though it might require some patience if you're used to, you know, some other sort of music that doesn't require anything. Thematically, there's a lot of theological rage found in the lyrics, and this is echoed by the, at times, angry and frantic vocal work (see "Jesus For the Jugular"). As I said, the piano is nearly omnipresent, and it is put to good use throughout. This doesn't stop the electric and acoustic guitars from taking the stage either, mind you. Nor has Andrews' sparkling sense of melody waned in the least.
In short, this record is a pretty big leap from the original, a conscious effort to create a totally new sound with new bandmates while still giving Veils fans a sense of familiarity somehow. I imported this the very moment I found out it was FINALLY available after such a long wait, and I've not been let down a bit by it. One might look around a bit because one can find the record cheaper than the ridiculous import price listed above, but Veils fans might not be too unhappy were they forced to pay the premium.
But the record, tell some friends about them, enjoy.
Key Tracks to sample on a wholly good album:
- The epic-sounding "Nux Vomica"
- The gentle "Under the Folding Branches"
- The pulse-pounding "Pan"
- The ringing and beautiful "A Birthday Present"
