Imagine starting your career by being compared to Refused, Glassjaw and At The Drive-In. That’s like your driving instructor grabbing your shoulder, looking you straight in the eye and calling you Lewis Hamilton.
That’s the sort of reaction that regularly fell into Letlive.’s lap following the release of their second record, 2010’s ‘Fake History’, and its follow up, ‘The Blackest Beautiful’. These albums were near perfect examples of post-hardcore and arrived coupled with feral, transcendent live shows delivered by a humble enigma of a frontman in Jason Aalon Butler.
But ‘If I’m The Devil…’ isn’t just another post-hardcore album. In fact, it’s not really a post-hardcore album at all. I Learned To Love Myself kicks things off with a soaring, confessional vocal, militaristic drumming and restrained blasts of guitar that bubble just below the boil. That comes backed with a mid-paced mix of orchestral highs and the band taking a back seat in the Butlermobile.
That’s the case with the majority of the record. The dirty rockabilly guitar of A Weak Ago might warrant an audible “ooh!” and Another Offensive Song’s spurts of aggression are a reminder of past glories, but ‘If I’m The Devil…’ is very much letlive.’s take on a sprawling, Radiohead-esque rock record with varying results.
The rage has been largely sapped from the band’s instrumental side, with drummer Loniel Robinson implementing a smooth, almost jazzy feel in Nü Romantics’ mid-section, following its high octane intro and a spacious, uplifting chorus in the vein of Deftones. This works in places but occasionally Letlive. get caught up in the process. Reluctantly Dead’s minimalistic approach, for example, comes off more like a sneaky airplay plea rather than adding anything to the record.
To balance that, there’s a tonne of experimentation. Elephant boasts a nigh-on indie-rock guitar tone, the title-track is a delicate, acoustic ballad and Who You Are Not twins a trip-hop opening with an escalating, string-accompanied state of grandeur. Foreign Cab Rides could be the Used enjoying a quiet moment, even during a questionable segment that sounds like Royal Blood.
When the bullish, harder stuff kicks, it does so like a mule slipping off a treadmill. Central to that is Butler’s performance. Good Mourning America has a fuzzed up vocal prior to its second chorus that shows just how unstoppable he is, while on A Weak Ago his phrasing of the lyric “See, I’m just pulling the same shit on a different day” perfectly complements the spaces left by his bandmates. His adlibs, the grit in his throat, the dichotomy of rage, soul and hip-hop cadence demonstrate that he is now Letlive.’s absolute focal point.
It would be wrong to say that ‘If I’m The Devil…’ suffers primarily because of Letlive.’s change in direction. Had these songs possessed the same catchiness and the same intensity – because, remember kids, intense doesn’t just mean ‘angry’ – as their previous two records, then maybe it would have stood a chance.
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
We don't run any advertising! Our editorial content is solely funded by lovely people like yourself using Stereoboard's listings when buying tickets for live events. To keep supporting us, next time you're looking for concert, festival, sport or theatre tickets, please search for "Stereoboard". It costs you nothing, you may find a better price than the usual outlets, and save yourself from waiting in an endless queue on Friday mornings as we list ALL available sellers!
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
