Lullwater (named after the street in Athens where they used to rehearse) produced one of my favourite albums of 2012 when they released their debut, and it’s follow-up ‘Revival’ from 2015 wasn’t too shabby either, but since then there’s only been 2017’s ‘The Seattle Sessions’ – an EP of live in-studio recordings of some of their best tracks, recorded at Seattle’s famed London Bridge studios, to keep us warm…. until now.
‘Curtain Call’ starts off all atmospheric before a hypnotic back-beat kicks in, and then the guitars crunch. There’s a powerful Pearl Jam meets Nirvana meets Live slant to the song and vocal but a more unhinged sound, and greater sense of urgency and what might even be described as Metal undertones. It’s a great introduction to the new album.
Though heavily influenced by 90’s Grunge, there was always something more to Lullwater’s sound, whether that had much to do with hailing from Athens, Georgia I’m not sure, but the music didn’t seem to be as inherently gloomy as that of their heroes like like Pearl Jam, Nirvana or Soundgarden. Somewhere even in the most downcast introspective moments there was a feeling of the sun on your neck which was something unique and unlike that of their Seattle progenitors.
Produced by Jakob Herrmann (Anthrax, Machine Head, and more) and promising a pushing of musical boundaries and a “bigger, more intricate & layered sound” this album also eschews the warm analogue recording of previous releases in favor of a more clinical digital edge, and it shows in songs like the crashing ‘Dark Divided’ which have a clean urgency and guitar-fueled fire rater than appropriated warmth.
Front-man John Strickland said recently that the album wasn’t about the band reinventing themselves but rather that”… We’ve grown, (and) so has our writing” He also cited a more personal approach and promised that the songs would “convey a depth that will expose us in a way that our fans haven’t seen yet.”
So what does it sound like? Well it sounds like Lullwater, it still has the Grunge heart and soul and it still soars like their debut did, but at the same time it has a relentless streak that is maintained. ‘Empty Chamber’ rides a rusty riff and sports verses that sweep you away before the sledgehammer chorus; ‘Similar Skin’ backs off a little in pace but not in aggression, and swaggers as Strickland spits out the words like bullets; ‘This Life’ then just takes that template and adds a chorus that leaves you wanting more.
It’s only at the half way point with ‘Godlike’ that we get some respite and a chance to catch a breath, as the wall of guitar and chug of the back-line allow a moment to brood. ‘Buzzards’ that follows is equally paced yet still angry and ‘Fight of Your Life’ offers a more Foo-like composition that shows that mainstream commercial viability is only a step away, before ‘Into the Sun’ lets the guitars scream and punctuate a hypnotic whirl of a song whose thrust is irresistible. It’s the song of the year for us so far.
All that leaves is the closing pair – first ‘Yellow Bird’ a song that simply soars and strips back all that volume to produce a clean and heartfelt statement that has more depth and openness than even Strickland promised. Closer ‘Suffer Not’ goes even further, opening with a gentle strum of guitar and funeral-pace drum beat as emotions are cut wide open to reveal what surely be Lullwater’s most intimate moment yet before the crash of guitar punctuates the dream momentarily before we fall back into dirge. It’s a song that stops you in your tracks.
‘Voodoo’ is Lullwater’s heaviest and most explosive work to date, shot through with blinding glimpses of clarity and searing moments of passion.
John Strickland – Rhythm Guitar & Lead Vocals
Daniel Binnie – Lead Guitar
Roy ‘Ray’ Beatty – Bass & Vocals
Joseph Wilson – Drums & Vocals
