The first reaction to the third album by the man from Austin, Minnesota, probably evokes a proper rubbing of eyes and ears – is my hearing still intact? Is that Modern Talking featuring Ian Curtis as a singer? Giorgio Moroder remixing Sisters Of Mercy? What’s even more surprising, is that this combination of simple drum-patterns, analog synths and sacral echoing lyrics with a maximum of pathos actually works so very well! At the same time, the former tour-keyboarder of Animal Collective and Ariel Pink proves, how very close these seemingly contrary elements of pop-culture really are. There are no more differences between serious or entertaining culture, these days, it all comes down to (re-)combining musical elements and poses to a new way of delivering them. Of course, the topics of the songs need to be accordant to their stylistic vastness: belief, love, hope; death, violence and transcendence. Hence, it only makes sense that the song with the biggest radio-hit potential is called Cop Killer. In there, lines such as »Kill every cop in sight« or »Against the law« are crooned with such pathos and belief, that John Maus, the big combiner of antagonisms, even short-circuits Ice T’s Bodycount-Hit of the same title with Jacques Lacan’s psychoanalytical approaches. A thoroughly fascinating album.
Black Country, New Road
Forever Howlong
Ninja Tune