Harper and Lord Jane Reviewed
Harper – Breach
I know nothing about Kevin Shields. But I can only assume that he possessed neither a steady girlfriend nor the keys to a third-storey office while making My Bloody Valentine’s “Loveless.” Can you imagine Mr Shields having to wake up at 7 in the morning to go to work, or needing to stop a recording session to talk to his missus on the phone?
Great art has been lost because of terribly responsible life choices. Underneath most promotions and weddings lie the bones of great books, albums and papers on the state of world finance that never got to grow enough to mean anything. Fearful of making similar mistakes and completely faithful to the idea that creativity solves most issues eventually, Harper deliver their own undisturbed psych-rock masterwork.
“Breach” is a song that has plenty in common with the so-called classic shoegaze bands of old, down to the obsession with sonic detail. But the music isn’t accompanied by impossible-to-decipher, airy poetry. This is a song about missing your big chance because you’re too afraid to say and do what you need. This is music about being the most free when you’re the most alone. Somewhere, Kevin Shields is listening to this and nodding in agreement.
Lord Jane – Think of Something Nice
It’s easy to worry about nonsense, and it’s a mighty terrible thing to have to constantly fret about those things that are most important. Sadly, for the most part, it is the most talented, creative and ambitious people who happen to be plagued by the second affliction. There is no cure for thinking that the most important things will just not work out.
Artists are particularly prone to these kinds of thoughts. As people who devote their lives to capturing beauty and the truth, they can’t work on a fixed schedule or set clear objectives. But what if they never get to do their greatest work? What if their mission will remain unfulfilled?
Lord Jane’s “Think of Something Nice” is a beautiful anxiety attack of a song. It’s a song that doesn’t just muse over the fleeting nature of time, but dares to ask, “Will it have been worth it if it ends now?” The band’s hushed vocals and mix of alt-rock and shoegaze sonic ideas perfectly convey this weighty idea. But by the time the song is over, it’s simply impossible not to feel a little bit more motivated.
