The opening seconds of This Gift leave no doubt as to whether one is listening to a Sons and Daughters record. An urgent, lusty blues riff and cold, perfunctory drumming smacking the listener upside the head provide a theatrical canvas for the truculent vocals and gloomy lyrics of lead singer Adele Bethel. But just when one gets comfortable with the band’s trademark pounding post-punk, it gradually uncoils, displaying a depth and dynamism not seen in their previous efforts. The unrelentingly manic instrumentals now find time to inject engaging pop elements into the boisterous proceedings. The vocals at times exhibit more dramatic interaction between Bethel and guitarist Scott Patterson, even enjoyably crossing into the territory of ‘50s rockabilly and ‘60s girl groups. And Bethel’s lyrics demonstrate a marked improvement, as her desperate, irritated, confessional tales ratchet up the debauchery and satire into compelling social commentary. This Gift finds a band pushing at the boundaries of their own music.
Much of the credit for this progression must be given to Aimee Mann and The Libertines producer Bernard Butler. His more pristine, lighter production largely abandons the band’s previously suffocating, murky sonic motifs, allowing for the novel pop elements to glimmer and stand center stage. “Darling” is more danceable than nearly anything found in the band’s previous efforts, while “Rebel With The Ghost” echoes the Europop of Shocking Blue (“Venus”). Additionally Butler’s eclectic production pushes the band into a staggering number of musical directions, driving them to build on their influences. A Johnny Marrian riff is given a frantic, urgent twist on “House In My Head,” Motown blends with ‘60s garage rock surprisingly well on “Rebel With The Ghost,” and the bluesy doo-wop of “Runaround Sue” is given a 21st century makeover on “Chains.”
While the highlights are obvious, so are the missteps. At times, the band muffles their trademark thrilling energy too much in favor of gentle, digestible pop. This is most evident on the repetitively dull “The Bell” and the desultory closer, “Goodbye Service.” Further, Bethel’s vocals, which occasionally stood out too strongly on previous efforts, has a tendency now to be engulfed by the band’s textured instrumentals; on “This Gift” and “The Bell” her vocals sound slight, tinny, and too stressed.
Whereas on previous efforts, Sons and Daughters had a tendency to be numbingly homogeneous, they experiment with new styles and sounds on This Gift. They try their best to make a staggering number of genres their own, but ultimately prove themselves to be jacks-of-all-trades, masters of none. Only when Sons and Daughters find an amicable middle ground will they have a truly special gift for their fans.
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