My personal anticipation for Wild Beasts’ third long player has actually been, to my surprise, minimal. After being more than impressed with their debut 'Limbo, Panto' and then being blown away, along with everyone else, by 'Two Dancers', at the start of 2011 I pinpointed 'Smother' as an album to get excited for. But if I’m honest, I sort of forgot all about. I never got around to listening to 'Albatross' when it was first posted to the net, which, in hindsight, I’m pretty happy about. Missing those singles and coming to an album totally in the dark is always the best way to experience music. So, let me tell you now, 'Smother' is all kinds brilliant.
'Smother' sees Wild Beasts reaching some impressive new heights. The emasculate vocals from Hayden Thorpe, beautifully juxtaposed with Tom Fleming’s deeper harpings. The layered drum variations and those controlling bass lines all make this album uniquely Wild Beasts’. This time around however, there’s an inspired infusion of electronic effects, somewhere similar to the way Arcade Fire used synths on 'The Suburbs', never in the forefront and never over baring, just beautifully complimenting everything.
And just as the previous two albums had songs about Satan’s love stick and man sluts, 'Smother' is teaming with sexuality. The lyrical style has been refined and perfected for subtlety and delicateness. 'Lion’s Share' begins with an almost wompy bass and piano keys, before Thorpe sings of taking a lover in the mouth as the lion takes it game. The song progresses slowly to the climactic harmony between Thorpe and Fleming. Disco synths get 'Bed Of Nails' going before the trademark Wild Beast’s sexy bass line kicks in. ‘Surround me like a warm bath’ serenades Thorpe, and the track does, the whole album does. It engulfs. Over the course of the next few paragraphs you’ll notice my adoration for this album growing.
On 'Smother' Chris Talbot has created some seriously addictive drum loops, especially the bongos utilised to perfection on 'Loop The Loop' and the album’s centrepiece, 'Plaything'. The latter probably being the best thing this quartet has ever crafted. Thorpe’s warbling of the line ‘You’re my plaything’, with the half breathe left in his lungs; will be sending plenty of shivers, down plenty of spines. Thorpe recently stated in an interview, that among the influence for this album was electronic duo, Fuck Buttons. Although that influence never forces itself to the front to become the main aspect of the music, 'Albatross' really proves Wild Beasts’ skill. The vibrating pulses of electricity are what make the song. But if you’re not paying attention they’ll totally pass you by and your life will be worse off for it too.
Although the progression in sound isn’t monumental from 'Two Dancers', it’s still enough so that you can really differentiate between tracks from each album. One of the few tracks that is nicely backwards compatible is 'Reach A Little Further'. Its intro romances memories of 'Hooting & Howling' and Thorpe and Fleming’s interplay is at its best. The lyrics also contain a brilliantly rhyming chorus, delivered by Thorpe.
'End Come To Soon' is the album closer. If you read the album sleeve the title just breaks the bad news to you up front. After 42 minutes you’re going to be pretty gutted it’s all over, but what a blissful way to bring proceedings to a close. It’s seven and a half minutes of tender lyrics of a euphoric sexual encounter, dreamy, Beach House-esque guitar and woozy drum beats. Quite frankly, it’s a masterpiece. As for that matter is the entire album.
It was hard to imagine how Wild Beasts could come back after 'Two Dancers' and better themselves. Well not only have they bettered themselves, they’ve better every other band attempting to make indie dream-pop. 'Smother' is more of a synthetic progression than a natural one; the electronics have taken the music to another level. 2011 has already seen some incredible music, but 'Smother' is better than it all and come the year’s end I’ll be surprised if there are more than a handful of records to match this. This is the kind of music that improves one’s quality of life.
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And just as the previous two albums had songs about Satan’s love stick and man sluts, 'Smother' is teaming with sexuality. The lyrical style has been refined and perfected for subtlety and delicateness. 'Lion’s Share' begins with an almost wompy bass and piano keys, before Thorpe sings of taking a lover in the mouth as the lion takes it game. The song progresses slowly to the climactic harmony between Thorpe and Fleming. Disco synths get 'Bed Of Nails' going before the trademark Wild Beast’s sexy bass line kicks in. ‘Surround me like a warm bath’ serenades Thorpe, and the track does, the whole album does. It engulfs. Over the course of the next few paragraphs you’ll notice my adoration for this album growing.
