Wild Beasts ‘Smother’ // First Listen

Wild Beasts
‘Smother’
(Domino)

After ‘Two Dancers’ left us reeling, bloodied and violated by sex, poetry and literary bludgeon, it’s impossible not to be excited by the third Wild Beasts album. Although their second record wreaked havoc with brains everywhere, its punishing fist was wrapped in smooth velvet- the moreish melodies and intoxicating mood left anyone who heard it gasping for another helping. Well, here it is. Wild Beasts return with an album entitled ‘Smother,’ sounds scary, but Ben Homewood was (just) brave enough to have a listen.

‘Lion’s Share’

“I find you hidden there a veiled creature of the deep/Waifish as a widow and without sufficient sleep/What am I supposed to think?/Do I pull you out or do I let you sink?” Hayden Thorpe’s falsetto is restrained, floating softly over thoughtful piano and a repetitive electronic thud. And it seems that the fearful anticipation was warranted, “It’s a terrible scare/but that’s why the dark is there” he croons, before Tom Fleming’s low croak kicks in to calm things down. “Boy what you running from?” they ask, in beautiful unison as an intimidation and suspense clog the atmosphere.

‘Bed Of Nails’

After easing their way in with a delightful (if teensy bit frightening) slow waltz, this picks up both the pace and sex drive of ‘Two Dancers’. Groaning and grunting into a chorus that should carry a public seduction warning (“I would lie anywhere with you/Any old bed of nails would do”), Wild Beasts are on top form, as keys and drums punctuate this saucy little ditty.

‘Deeper’

Solemn drums roll in, soon to be caressed by mournful vocals and guitars, “The breakfast is all laid out/Waiting for you to arrive,” Hayden sings. Is this the morning after the one night stand before? If so, we feel valued, relaxed and every inch a lady, they may be wild but these beasts know how to treat a woman. Even talk of “putting our tongues to the flames,” can’t detract from the hypnotic beauty on show here, it’s husky, romantic and bloody gorgeous.

‘Loop The Loop’

Maintaining the lilting loveliness, those familiar hollow drums, whiter-than-white guitars and glorious falsetto (here is the first “Oooooohh ohhh” of the album) the sheer beauty of this song will knock you for six. As breathtakingly magic when they’re going full pelt as when they’re curb crawling in second gear, Wild Beasts appear to be growing ever further into their sound.

‘Plaything’

More breathy vocals and lyrics Wordsworth would’ve been proud of. “New squeeze/Take off your chemise/And I’ll do as I please/I know I’m not any kind of heartthrob/but at the same time I’m not any kind of slob,” Hayden announces, burying his primal urges underneath sublime wordplay, “you’re my plaything/I’m wondering how cruel I’ve been,” he continues. Wonder what he’s been up to? Nocturnal habits aside, this recalls the romantic pomp of The Smiths, audaciously attempting to cram such vast quantities of both musical and lyrical ambition into four minutes.

‘Invisible’

Understated piano and Tom’s baritone pave the way for a paper-thin riff and a hint of brass to stitch together another complex tapestry of treble clefs and quavers. Affecting, sombre and lyrically morbid, (“I say my goodbyes to everyone I know/goodbye, goodbye/I burn up my lists and cease to exist/Leave nothing behind,”), Wild Beasts stare hard at Elbow’s morbid anthems before averting their gaze to maintain their inherent, wonderful weirdness.

‘Albatross’

Released as a download this week, this exudes a twinkling fragility that a breath of wind, let alone a torrent of sexual bravado, could blow over with ease, and immediately assumes a more emotional tone when placed into the context of the album. Musically sparse (indeed, this is could be Wild Beasts at their most threadbare); it leaves space for the odd blast of dramatic keys or pounding bass to wrestle the attention. Wild Beasts confidently explore a new direction here, so the closing line, “Albatross, albatross/Which way to turn when we’re lost” isn’t a question they need to ask.

‘Reach A Bit Further’

Drums dictate another change in pace as Wild Beasts reach for their gear stick again. A galloping rhythm sets in when Hayden sings, “I was angry and brash as a bull/You were devastatingly beautiful.” Then an admission: “I was crude, I was rude, I was lewd, I was not in the mood.” What’s this, relationship counselling? Hayden is “reaching for the olive branch” and Tom “will do all the things you ask of me,” someone’s been a naughty boy. Whatever they’ve done, this exudes charm and subtle romance and could have indulged in ‘Two Dancers’ primal frotting comfortably.
 
‘Burning’

Guitars and effects ebb and flow like the grey sludge of the British tide in the intro, with Tom’s gruff tones adding imagery to the fiery (geddit?) ambience. Delicate and expertly-crafted, though it is, the introduction is lengthy and you’ll find yourself waiting for something to happen. Bass creeps in and a hint of an angelic synth and an almost Gregorian (trust us, it’s churchy) harmony both try in vain to gain a foothold as the song burns out (sorry) with a crackle.

‘End Come Too Soon’

More angelic vocal harmonising and faintly-traced guitars start a seven-minute closer. That falsetto, toned down a notch or two, mind, takes another smutty turn, mentioning “sweet concubines,” “nights of never ending lovers” and “eyes that have seen things they should not.” If it sounds improbably explicit, the musical backing and straight face with which the vocal is delivered eradicates doubt or discomfort. It is a pleasure to hear what these brilliant imaginations are capable of, and you’ll hang on every word. The only knobs Wild Beasts have been fiddling with are those on the sound desk, this song emphasises the increased attention to detail and musical dexterity that infuses ‘Smother’ from foreplay to breakfast the next morning. Quivering reverb and flickering effects control the rise and fall here, as the track mutates from swashbuckling sing-along to doleful lullaby. Hayden repeatedly bemoans “the end coming too soon,” just press play again Hayden, that’s what everyone else will do.

‘Smother’ will be reviewed in full in the May issue of The Fly.