Pelican - "Forever Becoming" album review

One always has expectations when listening to a new album by an established band for the first time. Chicago’s Pelican have a reputation for expansive oceans of sound that quite literally are the sound track to some gargantuan military like operation. On first hearing “Forever Becoming” those distinctive swathes of sound are still pummelling the ears, but now they have an edge to them. Where once they may have been ethereal in their majesty, Pelican are now showing their teeth. The departure of founding guitarist Laurent Schroeder-Lebec, replaced byDallas Thomas, may possibly have been the catalyst to spark this metamorphosis. It has been argued elsewhere that by 2009’s “What We All Come To Need”, the band had hit a creative brick wall, too comfortable with their niche sound and content to meander. Whatever one’s feelings about this, the arrangement here seem cohesive and feed off many of the elements of their previous releases. Whereas other bands that are known primarily for instrumental sheets of guitar are possibly becoming more melodic in their approach, Pelican have gone back in to the garage.

‘Terminal’ is a lugubrious opener, which draws on an industrial like template to gain its’ atmospherics. It is not until you hear the demented progressions on ‘Deny the Absolute’ that you realise what the band have achieved here. It has tight momentum, an ominous riff and could be argued to be one of the most ferocious pieces the band has ever committed to release. This is no longer music for melancholic contemplation, this is music to unpack the air guitar, close the doors and let go. The pace does not let up either on ‘The Tundra’ which barges forward over its’ five minute duration, before exploding into chaos. ‘Immutable Dusk’ does hark back to a more reflective Pelican, whilst ‘Threnody’ explores the changes in dynamic, which may have come to be associated with bands such as Mogwai….

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Pelican and Blacklisters at the Brudenell Social Club, Leeds 9th April 2012

Any town or city on an Easter Monday can be devoid of stimulation or enthusiasm. Thankfully the Brudenell Social Club, in Headingley, provided some respite for those hungry for inspiration. The venue itself is welcoming, and provides a sense of the audience being engaged with the artists, on the small, but easily accessible stage.

Blacklisters are a Leeds based band that have been around since 2008, and have shared the stage with Melt Banana, Rolo Tomassi and, fellow purveyors of sarcasm-rock, Future of the Left. To a rapidly filling venue, the band tore through a convulsive set that was interspersed with anecdotes and one-liners from vocalist Billy Mason-Wood. The energy radiating from a Blacklisters performance is centred purely on the music and the fervour with which it is delivered. The songs themselves may be concerned with the trivia of life and what can be considered peculiar and amusing, but that is not to detract from the exhilaration of the moment. The music is confrontational and aggressive, but at the same time is considered and almost geometric.

Chicago, Illinois based Pelican have been described on several occasions, loosely, as post-rock, doom-metal and stoner-rock. From the performance tonight, these terms are irrelevant, as the band appeared confident, vibrant, brimming with vitality and generally to be having a very fine evening out. After a performance as volatile as that of Blacklisters, to maintain the attention of the audience must be a particularly odious task....

Read the full review at This Is Not A Scene