School of Seven Bells: Ghostory - Album Review

School of Seven Bells
Ghostory
Rating: Grrrr

For me, sometimes music is all about the mood and setting. Countless times I have listened to a record I think I will enjoy when I am in a bad mood, or in a stressful situation at work, or when it is cold, and the music feels off to me, and nothing I do can make me like it. Other times, I can be in a great mood, sun is shining, and all is right with the world, and a record I don't feel I will like resonates with me in some way, shape, or form. Strangely, when I reverse the situations, I can find I love the record I disliked at first, and vice versa. Often, a record just takes awhile to click with me. That is why I have a reviewing policy that I have to listen to something at least 10 times, and at least three of those times in different situations; be it the office, the car, or at home. That way, I get some different perspectives on the music and can know what my true opinion is. I will admit that School of Seven Bells' first two albums never really stuck with me. They are a band that on paper I should like: ethereal vocals over dream pop/shoegaze guitars and beds of plush synths, however, Alpinisms and Disconnect From Desire left me a bit cold.

The band, formed by Benjamin Curtis of Secret Machines, together with identical twins Alejandra and Claudia Deheza, formerly of On!Air!Library!, have now been reduced to the duo of Curtis and Alejandra, and I am not sure if that is the catalyst that has changed their sound for me, but Ghostory has been quite a revelation. The album takes all the disparate elements that on paper made this band something I wanted to hear, and merges them into something whole and special. After listening to the tight rhythms and song structures I realized this was the album that M83 should have made, rather than the overly ambitious, and quite frankly bloated epic, Hurry Up, We're Dreaming.

Gone are the meandering song structures and the almost new age haze of past releases, and in place are songs with purpose and drive, where nothing really feels out of place, hurried, or incomplete. Guitars shimmer and ring brightly, with shoegazer elements applied only when necessary, beats are crisp and clear and move the songs forward instead of treading water, and Alejandra's vocals, while still the weakest element of the band, this time are slightly more emotive. Too often, at least for me, her voice can cross the line into monotone, with me wishing she would add a little more variety to her delivery. With that said, she gets stronger with each release, and it is evident on Ghostory that it is an area they are working on.

Off the bat, you can hear the immediate changes. "The Night" starts off with interesting guitar and bass textures before lifting off with a bouncy beat, gossamer vocal, and a rushing chorus.



Second track "Love Play" drifts a little back to their old sound of hazy soundscapes, but in the past where the music could get a little overpoweringly ethereal, there is a grittiness at play here that elevates the track. The bass synth is harsh and buzzing, and the guitars swell underneath.



The band reminds me a lot of a poppier Curve at times, a band whose intense shoegaze guitars and beats are sorely missed these days. "Lafaye" features a dense bed of drum programming under a shimmering wave of swirling guitars, in which Alejandra's vocals hide.



Songs like "Scavenger" continue this trend, offering a meatier rhythm section and tighter melodic focus.



"White Wind" is practically industrial with its booming drums and buzzing electronics, showing the band is pushing its sound into more muscular territory, which segues into the closing epic 8:30 minute track "When You Sing," which emerges from a murk of ambient noodling into a drum heavy, guitar driven attack, buoyed by waves of synths and Alejandra's gorgeous whispers.

Ghostory is not all beat driven. There is plenty of room for softer, more atmospheric tracks. "Reappear" features one of Alejandra's most beautiful vocal turns, echoing and multi tracked, almost like Elizabeth Frazer, lightly flowing over heavenly synth washes. "Show Me Love" begins almost beatless, allowing the guitars and keyboards to buzz around the vocals, until the clattering drum programming and more insistent, darker keyboards arrive to carry the song along.

School of Seven Bells take a huge leap forward with Ghostory, one that I was not expecting at all. I wanted to love the band on their previous albums, but either the mood was not right or it just didn't click with me. Although this album took awhile to get into my head, once it did, I found myself drawn back towards it time and again. For those in love with a shoegazer sound, but with more melody and purpose, this album is a phenomenal find, and one I highly recommend.

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.