Montreal-based Ought, one of the most buzzed about bands of the recent post-punk wave, are at it again with Sun Coming Down, an impressive follow up to last year’s debut More Than Any Other Day. With an arsenal of distorted guitar riffs, hypnotic drum rhythms and monotone vocals, Sun leads the listener on a mesmerizing 40 minute adventure that sounds like the soundtrack of a night out in a Brooklyn dive bar.
Lead singer Tim Darcy has the makings of a reborn Ian Curtis, with a monotone voice that is borderline sarcastic at times, giving a bit of a challenge to the listener. Fortunately, it is rewarding to those that understand his sarcasm. This is evidenced heavily on opening track “Men for Miles”, although the lyrics offer nothing life-altering (“There were men for miles / There were men for miles/ Doesn’t it just bring a tear to your eye”), it delivers a fast moving 6 minute song that is by far the catchiest thing Ought has recorded, with a chorus that is a welcome earworm. By the end of the track you will be thinking that “Men for Miles” will actually bring a tear to your eye due to it’s sheer simplistic beauty.
Darcy’s voice actually shows some range and emotion on the next track, “Passionate Turn”, a surprisingly tender song that is the most personal Ought have ever gotten with a song. The lyrics are reminiscent of certain Joy Division songs: “It all comes back / When I hang my head and cry / It’s too much all for you.” The instrumentals are an unstoppable force leading the lyrics along, with all of the little nuances of the drum and bass rhythms that fill this song, and the rest of the album.
The high point of this album comes along on the track, “Beautiful Blue Sky”, the longest song on the album. It is an odyssey through a typical day for a 9-5 office worker which is sprinkled with common phrases and greetings made slightly uncomforting by Darcy’s sarcastic tone, “How’s the family / Fancy seeing you here/ How’s the church / How’s the job”. This all climaxes to the character in the song coming to terms with the fact that he isn’t going to do much more in his life, and instead decides that there “Is a beautiful blue sky / And I am no longer afraid to die.” A humming guitar riff and a repeated hi-hat/snare drum rhythm add to the doldrums that this song represents, creating one of the most impressive combinations of lyrics and music working together for a common sound and purpose.
Although there is high praise for this album, a few pieces prevent it from being a masterpiece. Songs such as “Celebration” and “The Combo”, although good individual tracks, feel out of place on this album. With a faster tempo and more urgent vocals than other tracks, it prevents this album from becoming a full, cohesive project. “Celebration” in particular comes very close to falling apart, with the last two minutes of this track being especially sloppy.
With a manic swirl of genius and sarcasm, Sun Coming Down is the result of a great band making a great album. In a post-punk scene filled with intraband drama (New Order), naming issues (Viet Cong) and half the members not even participating in an album (Parquet Courts), it is refreshing to hear a no-frills, no nonsense, play-it-again-Sam style album from a band that will surely be an indie heavyweight in the coming years.
9/10
If you liked this album, check these bands out: Viet Cong, Parquet Courts
Andrew Zilbauer // Web Team
