By Drake Myers
Los Campesinos! are back, this time with three new members (for a total of seven). “Hello Sadness”, the Cardiff band’s new release, continues their lyrical trail of melancholy and heartbreaks from their last two albums but seems a lot more emotionally effective to me than before. There’s just something uncomfortable about Gareth’s lyrics that makes them fascinating to follow. They go against modern indie convention; whereas most indie pop acts are writing towards a sense of universal sentimentality and nostalgia, Gareth writes very personal and specific lyrics, almost always about the toils of his romanticism and ideals. One helpful point of comparison, I think, is Arcade Fire. In a very strange way I felt very similar listening to “Hello Sadness” as I did when I listened to “Funeral.” (Which is weird.) The new album is in the constant presence of death, usually as a sort of melodramatic metaphor for breakup and modern romance. What the two really share is a profound, desperate longing for meaningful companionship to the point where the world seems meaningless without it. With that said, the lyrics on “Hello Sadness” way more closely resemble teenage Myspaces and Tweets than they do Winn Butler’s whimsy. In the end this made me feel closer to Gareth than I ever did with the speakers in AF songs. “Hello Sadness” made me sympathize and feel companionship with Gareth as a fellow toiler. I’d recommend this album as an experience: whether to listen to every lyrical swoop or just as background music. The powerpop singalongs and indie collective sound can be tons of fun, although sometimes the lyrics can be a bit embarrassing to have on in public. (On the lead single from the album, “By Your Hand”, the singer repeats “Graceful, gracious companion with your eyes of doe and thighs of stallion”, which seems to me a lot harder to sing along to than a lot of indie rock hooks these days, almost Shakespearian in its carnal humor.) None of this really matters, though, because while Los Campesinos! are spouting mostly overemotional cliches, they allow the listener to arrive at those cliches with them, so yeah, it’s transcendant.
Leah Ogden • Sep 11, 2019 at 7:17 pm
Attractive element of content. I simply stumbled upon your blog and in accession capital to claim that I get actually enjoyed account your weblog posts. Any way I’ll be subscribing on your augment or even I success you get admission to constantly quickly.
Luke Quinn • Sep 10, 2019 at 1:14 pm
Things i have often told people is that when you are evaluating a good on the net electronics retail outlet, there are a few elements that you have to take into account. First and foremost, you need to make sure to look for a reputable as well as reliable retail store that has enjoyed great critiques and rankings from other customers and business sector experts. This will ensure you are getting through with a well-known store providing you with good assistance and aid to their patrons. Thanks for sharing your ideas on this blog site.
Adam Carr • Sep 5, 2019 at 1:46 pm
Thanks for your posting. Another item is that to be a photographer involves not only problem in capturing award-winning photographs but also hardships in acquiring the best digicam suited to your requirements and most especially struggles in maintaining the standard of your camera. This is very true and apparent for those photography enthusiasts that are straight into capturing this nature’s engaging scenes – the mountains, the forests, the wild and the seas. Visiting these adventurous places unquestionably requires a photographic camera that can surpass the wild’s harsh settings.