squid Cowards [Bonus Track] (BRC776) Japan Music CD

Product Description Squid, whose ever-changing grooves forge a new frontier in post-punk, releases their latest album, 'Cowards,' themed around "evil"! Squid, who debuted on Warp in 2021 and have gained popularity with their exciting sound that seems to be forging a new frontier in post-punk, have released their 3rd album, 'Cowards.' 'Cowards' was produced over a six-month period from November 2022 to April 2023. This means that songwriting and recording preparations were underway simultaneously with the release of their previous album, 'O Monolith,' and one cannot help but be amazed by their prolific creative drive. Instead of using 'Real World,' a studio in rural Wiltshire that they used for their previous album, they used 'The Church,' a London studio run by Paul Epworth, and recorded with Mercury Prize-winning producers Marta Saloni and Grace Banks. This change in environment also seems to have influenced the mood of this third album. The mixing was once again handled by John McEntire of Tortoise, who also worked on their previous album. Dan Carey, who has collaborated with them before, provided support in the form of additional production. In addition to the five members, percussionist Zans Duggan, who played a major role on their previous album, participated in the recording again. As Arthur is also a cellist, strings by the Luigi Quartet are extensively incorporated, opening up a new side to the album. Furthermore, the chorus by Rosa Brook, Tony Nyuk, and Clarissa Connelly gives the album a somewhat meditative tone and a suite-like structure as a whole. The album opens with "Crispy Skin," which has already been performed live and which the members themselves have introduced as "a song about cannibalism." As they've revealed, the album's title track, "Cowards," is inspired by Yorgos Lanthimos's "Dogtooth" and its influence, Arturo Lipstein's "The Virgin," suggesting that the band is obsessed with the state of mind of those pushed to their limits, and what it feels like when people are cornered. In contrast to the grand world of "O Monolith," "Cowards" attempts to capture the madness and malice at the bottom of humanity through its lyrics. Incidentally, they've never hidden their references to various literary and artistic works, such as J.G. Ballard, Mark Fisher, and Nam June Paik, but this time, their sources of inspiration are even more diverse, including Ryu Murakami's "In the Miso Soup," Charles Manson and Helter Skelter, Freud, and even "Terminator 2." Judge's eccentric, often shouting vocals and the technically complex ensemble work with its irregular time signatures have receded into the background. Instead, what comes to the forefront is the minimalism and Baroque soundscapes evident in "Fieldworks I" and "Fieldworks II," which feature graceful strings and adapt medieval stories. Of course, there are also thrilling moments, such as the gradually building "Blood on the Boulders" and the Krautrock-esque groove of "Cro-Magnon Man," which evoke images of the band members performing side-by-side on stage. The album concludes with the majestic production of "Well Met (Fingers Through The Fence)," and despite the catastrophic lyrical world, a certain optimism permeates the entire work, contrasting with its ominous nature. The album cover features artwork by Tonje Thilesen, a Norwegian photographer based in Brooklyn, New York, who has previously photographed Cassandra Jenkins and Avalon Emerson, among others. 01. Phenomenal World *Bonus Track 02. Crispy Skin 03. Building 650 04. Blood On The Boulders 05. Fieldworks I 06. Fieldworks II 07. Cro-Magnon Man 08. Cowards 09. Showtime! 10. Well Met (Fingers Through Fences)