…On second thought, maybe the company of dozens was a bit too much to handle in terms of musical logistics and who gets the bathroom at what time in the pre-breakfast morning? Because the new album from Wrekmeister Harmonies had JR Robinson and Esther Shaw joined by, apparently, just two extra musicians during its production at the famed BC Studio run by Martin Bisi.
Thor Harris (formerly of Swans) is seemingly ubiquitous these days, and following up his latest stint as a member of Xiu Xiu, both he and Jamie Stewart are featured on the upcoming Wrekmeister release, We Love to Look at the Carnage, which is out February 21 on Thrill Jockey.
It’s unclear whether “featured” means a consistent presence on all tracks, but recording likely took place prior to Xiu Xiu’s announced hiatus. So if you’re looking for something distantly Xiu Xiu-related to tie you over…
As the smaller collective might suggest, the new Wrekmeister album is being described as both more “subtle” and more “powerful” than previous efforts. Robinson’s lyrics reflect apparitions apparently brought about by the “anxiety of insomnia.” Additionally, the first single off the release, “Coyotes of Central Park,” sounds like a venture dangerously close to post-punk territory. (Maybe Robinson’s vocals are sounding more like Ian Curtis than usual. That’s not a bad thing!)
Pre-order the album here and feel free to love to listen to the aforementioned track down below:
We Love to Look at the Tracklisting:
01. Midnight to Six
02. Still Life With Prick Cancer
03. Coyotes of Central Park
04. The Rat Catcher
05. Immolation
More about: Jamie Stewart, Thor Harris, Wrekmeister Harmonies, Xiu Xiu
