Thursday, July 7, 2011

John Maus: We Must Become Pitiless Censors of Ourselves ? review

(Upset the Rhythm)

The early press about John Maus's third album suggested he'd made a leap into the unknown, to a place where all one's previous knowledge and beliefs about music were redundant. "Its atemporal feel and overall state of being ? a queasy type of dyschromia ? communicates eternity and infinity," wrote one reviewer. Which means the thoroughly servicable synthpop it actually offers, sung by a man whose baritone sounds uncannily like the Sisters of Mercy's Andrew Eldritch, might seem an anti-climax. In fact it's hugely enjoyable, even without any theoretical justification. Head for the Country pastiches 80s chart pop down to heavy use of the pitchbending wheel on the synth stabs; Street Light's arpeggios are frosty and beautiful. And Hey Moon, placing Maus alone in the night, looking for comfort when "your pale round face/ makes me feel at home in any place" has the simplicity and loveliness of the best children's song.

Rating: 4/5


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