Perfume Genius: Put Your Back N 2 It - Album Review

Perfume Genius
Put Your Back N 2 It
Rating: Woof Daddy

Seattle songwriter Mike Hadreas (a.k.a. Perfume Genius) burst onto the music scene a couple of years ago with the haunting and stark collection of piano ballads called Learning that were so intimate you could hear his feet on the piano pedals. Lyrically, the album was full of confessional tales that spoke honestly and openly about the singer himself, and were almost harrowingly personal. After a period of isolation due to some trauma and self-destruction, Hadreas emerges once again with another set of piano based tracks called Put Your Back N 2 It, which ups the production quality and range of instrumentation, but still keeps its haunting, confessional feel. While these tracks are quite personal and intimate, dealing with Hadreas' addiction and emotional issues, as well many songs from a gay man's point of view, there are more universal themes here dealing with intimacy, addiction, feelings of self-worth, violence, family, and hope that will resonate with a far larger audience. The album also has a broader palate of instruments in which he can fill in the colors of his music. Most of the tracks are piano based, but there is also room for guitars, keyboards, and even *gasp* drums. Put Your Back N 2 It is an emotionally draining album but one that ultimately focuses on hope and is one of the best albums of the year. You can even click here and look at a blog on his record company's website where he gives his personal comments on the meaning and story behind each track.

"All Waters" is a simple plea for Hadreas to be able to hold his partner's hand in the street without feeling the hesitation or fear that all gay people have experienced. But also, the song can be appreciated by anyone afraid to show their love.



"17" is a harrowing gay suicide letter that resonates with any teenager, gay or not, who just feels out of place in this world. The song is almost too painful to listen to, Hadreas' voice bare and haunting, over minimal piano lines and ghostly electronics.



And "Take Me Home" deals with both literal prostitution for addiction, but how most people prostitute themselves in some way to get what they want. Hadreas' vocals are simply amazing, working beautiful with the funeral-like pianos, clattering percussion, and weeping guitars.



The bulk of tracks deal with addiction and the fallout from it, how it affects not only the addict, but everyone around them. "AWOL Marine," inspired by watching vintage porn, details an addict doing whatever he can do to keep the drugs coming, resorting to filming porn, and the resulting demoralization.



"Normal Song" conveys the message that once you get through your issues and troubles, you still have the lingering feelings that you are still damaged in some way, but that we are all damaged in some way and that the shared experiences can make things better. I love the quiet guitars and piano, and the almost whispered vocals.



And "Floating Spit," floating over murky, ethereal synths and a chugging, industrial beat, details someone overdosing and going to the other side. It's loneliness and peacefulness all at once. In the darkness and gloom of this record there is always a ray of light somewhere. From his ode to his mother "Dark Parts," where he takes a traumatic part of her life and shows the triumphant nature of her overcoming it. Or the love song to his boyfriend, "Put Your Back N 2 It," with him, having bared everything about himself, telling him there is no longer anything to worry about. And the starkly beautiful "No Tear," which comes across like a gospel song sung by Xiu Xiu, which is a gentle reminder to himself that you have gotten through the storm, and things will be ok, no matter how dark they get.



Put Your Back N 2 It is simply a breathtaking album. Its starkness and dark themes might chase some away, but it is worth the effort to get to know this record. It's emotions lain bare and without pretension. Hadreas' songwriting has eclipsed his very promising debut, his singing is strong and forceful, and the arrangements are growing more and more complex. This marks his ascension into the top tier of singer-songwriters.

Rating Scale:

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.