There are few bands
out there that manage to set themselves apart from everybody else in such a
distinct and effortless way as hardcore pacesetters letlive. The LA band firmly
arrived on the global scene with 2010’s dynamic and visceral ‘Fake History’, an
album that delivered lively and zealous gems in abundance and a take on punk
rock that had almost no comparison in modern music. Frontman Justin Butler drives the band with his chaotic and stirring vocal style, spitting
lyrics at a furious pace and only stopping to ooze melodic sincerity, his
ability to merge genres second-to-none. Everything from metal to hip-hop to
jazz can be heard throughout letlive’s music and it’s a mash-up that works
incredibly well, not once surrendering the best elements of those styles, which
is not just refreshing and unique, but also surprising. For a band to deliver a
sound that’s so crammed full of ideas and it not feel overbearing doesn’t happen
very often.
New album ‘The
Blackest Beautiful’ takes everything that came before and amplifies it to near
breaking point, consistently treading a fine line and at times verging on the
utterly ridiculous – and that’s when it becomes apparent just how good this
band are. The album is initially a confusing and often challenging experience,
with some of the tracks seeming to struggle to find a recognisable groove or
direction, but it’s with repeat listens that the sheer genius of this record
shines through. What primarily feels unsettling adapts in time as the songs
become familiar, every nuance and minor detail slotting into the grand picture,
which unveils itself to be something monumental in every sense of the word.
From the frenetic
opening of ‘Banshee (Ghost Fame)’ to the sheer intensity of tracks like ‘That
Fear Fever’ and ’Empty Elvis’, it’s obvious that letlive. aren’t in the mood to
do things by halves and this record definitely isn’t for the faint of heart.
The bedlam peaks at such a level that is almost vomit inducing, particularly
when Butler is screaming with a certain derangement - his bellows of ‘We get sick so we can feel better’ on
‘White America’s Beautiful Black Market’ and roars of ‘They say home is where the heart is, so where do you keep your bed?’
on ‘Dreamer’s Disease’ noteworthy examples.
This is
without doubt a record where the frontman leads by example, his performance as
well as his lyrics taking the floor in a much more apparent way than ‘Fake
History’. While that isn’t to say this is a vanity project for Butler, who is
allowed to run riot with little to no restraint, ‘The Blackest Beautiful’
belongs to him. The instrumentals are fantastic, provoking excitement at almost
every turn, however it’s hard to focus on them entirely when the vocals that
accompany them are consistently awe-inspiring. When lines such as ‘If you're equating fame to religion, then
where’s your faith at?’ on ‘Banshee (Ghost Fame)’ are delivered with such
stimulating poise, it’s difficult not to give the singer the majority of the
plaudits.
One way to
describe Butler’s lyrical attack is anti-establishment poetry, but even that
doesn’t quite hit the nail on the head. Every furious verse and soaring chorus
is littered with beautiful metaphor, occasionally using sexuality and
well-placed expletives to deliver well-rounded opinions about government,
consumerism and patriotism. His words resonate in a way that incite passion,
which can only elsewhere be experienced in the sweaty eye of the letlive. live
show storm, and even if they sometimes feel a little self-indulgent (the likes
of ‘When only the good die young, ain't
it ironic I age so well’ on ‘Younger), it can be instantly forgiven.
There are calm
moments, and it’s during these that the true spectacle of letlive.’s
songwriting prowess is on show. This isn’t standard hardcore/punk loud/quiet
transition; these are parts that are layered with distinction and swarming with
genre-skipping bravery. From the measured build of ‘Virgin Dirt’ (the second
half) to the entire playful outro to album closer ’27 Club’, the overall
experience of such diversity is a worthwhile pleasure.
‘The Blackest
Beautiful’ is an organic musical journey) as pretentious and implausible as
that may sound) and needs time to be digested before a fair judgment can be
made. That may seem inconceivable in the modern climate where forgettable
3-minute pop songs are at the height of popularity, but once you apply yourself
to this album and leave all reservations at the door, it becomes obvious that
the depth of this record pushes it to modern classic status, a label that
really is deserved.
'The Blackest Beautiful' is available now through Epitaph Records.
The band tour the UK in October 2013.
