Hip hop
Musical economy can be a miraculous thing. We often think of great pieces of music as being these ornate, elaborate objects, however, countless legendary artists have made their finest records by paring things down; see acoustic excursions by Bruce Springsteen and Beck, or minimalist left-turns from Radiohead and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds.
According to the album’s press release, Wunderhorse’s second full-length album is an attempt to adhere to an economic philosophy; focusing on strong, simple songs unblemished by studio tinkering. Frontman Jacob Slater says; “”We didn’t want this record to sound perfect or polished, I didn’t even want this record to sound ‘good’, by which I mean musically proficient or well-rehearsed.
In response to this claim; Slater’s right to say that ‘Midas’ feels raw and loosely-constructed. The ten songs that comprise Wunderhorse’s new album are considerably rougher-around-the edges than those on the band’s strong 2022 debut ‘Cub’. Their simple nature sometimes works, such as on the slowcore-esque ‘Superman’ and the early-Coldplay-channeling ‘Cathedrals’, making for fun, lucid rock tracks.
However, several cuts also feel a little undercooked. Many of the album’s tracks are built on crude, stripped-back skeletons, eschewing guitar leads or any other strong, non-vocal melodies. ‘Emily’ is a two-chord slog, ‘July’ feels like it was written on the spot, while ‘Silver’s another two-chord effort that never catches light. There’s a very fine line between pared-down and underdeveloped, and several tracks on ‘Midas’ tip in the wrong direction.
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It makes for an odd change when compared to Wunderhorse’s debut. ‘Cub’ was a warm (texturally as well as emotionally) and soulful album. ‘Midas’ feels like its predecessor’s shadow; a stark, moody follow-up painted with hues of chiaroscuro light. This darker tone is never all that emotionally engaging, more interested in minor key miserabilia (‘Emily’), swelling tension (‘Superman’) and power chord-driven momentum (‘Rain’).
The most singular track on ‘Midas’ is the lengthy alt-country closer ‘Aeroplane’. This Bill Callahan/Jason Molina-influenced quiet epic is comfortably the album’s best track, using a similarly simple structure but layering it with sparsely-arranged, effective textures that much of the album lacks. It feels three-dimensional in a way that many other cuts don’t and packs a softly melancholic punch.
‘Midas’ isn’t a bad album. Multiple tracks can be fun in their commitment to straightforward, linear rock and you can see what aesthetic boundaries Wunderhorse were going for, even if it doesn’t really feel that vivid. It’s a slight, undemanding effort, and there’s charm to be found if you’re willing to meet the band halfway.
6/10
Words: Tom Morgan
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