Earwig- Gibson under mountain

Earwig– Gibson Under Mountain

When your favourite band releases a new album, you’ll buy it in blind faith that it will simply give you a bunch more reasons why they are just that. I’m no exception.

The only difference between that scenario and Earwig‘s new album is that I hadn’t actually heard any of their music before receiving it in the mail. Everything I got to know about them in the lead up just made me think, ‘if this album is anything like I expect, it’s going to be special’.

To quote ‘Eerie Indiana‘ which i’ve rediscovered recently-

ITEM:

“All of the songs on Gibson Under Mountain come from dreams. The album title came in a dream too. In the dream, I’m sitting in the center of a huge movie theater all alone. It’s an older, well kept theater with an ornate balcony, very much like Cinema East. The screen is monstrously tall and wide with velvet curtains hanging on either side. The silence is broken by the familiar sounds of the film starting it’s roll through the projector as the house lights go dark. The film is running, but the screen is blank, no images. As I sit patiently, a white light glows through the movie screen, filling it with large block letters. They read “Name your album GIBSON UNDER MOUNTAIN.” Simple and direct, with no sound or other images, the letters hang on the screen. After a time they flicker and dissolve. I can hear the sounds of the film rattling into the take up reel as the screen goes blank. Not long after this, I started dream-writing most of the songs that would become the new Earwig album.”

I always imagined that’s how Nick Cave wrote the Bad Seeds’ album “Dig, Lazarus, Dig”.

Truth is I was really busy the morning the C.D arrived but after reading the imagination capturing press-release I had no choice to put everything on hold to hear it. I put the disc in my nearest player (this happened to be my PlayStation, which I didn’t know could play audio discs but hey this is 2010) and let them do their thing.

Back in the 90’s it was an added bonus to have lyrics in the sleeve and here, probably due to the abstract nature of the writing process, it’s a welcome safety net as a lot comes at you on that first listen. Aside from the writing, the music is huge and the vocals full of belief and passion.

The concept of the album, as refreshing as it is, is a tough one to pull off. I’m so glad that this delivers. It truly is a complete album. Yes, there are standout tracks (Starcrossd, Lovesong Cockroach and Glorious & Gloom) but even to state that really is to lick off the cream before casting the sundae to one side.

The album begins with Trees and where it is a perfect intro, Sleepyhead is the much needed interlude after the intensity of the first half of the album. Both tracks I have included as mp3s below. Things threaten to chill out with next Christmas but it doesn’t, as is the case with many tracks on this album the tender side is shown early on before being cast aside for a more tempestuous mood. With that in mind, any anger on this album seems perfectly placed and coupled with poignant qualifying imagery (please make no mistake with all the drugs you take and songs you sing, next Christmas I’ll be shooting up with the angels).

Apparently this is Earwig’s 4th studio album, i’ve got a lot of catching up to do but in the meantime; allow this album to soundtrack your autumnal dreams.

Visit their website for further information and to buy their musics- Earwig.

MP3s:

Glorious and Gloom

Sleepy Head

Trees

Acoustic Album: Download