ALBUM REVIEW: A Death At Sea – San Lorenz
SAN LORENZ have had a busy seven years. In this time, they have caught the attention of Radio 1‘s Jack Saunders, not to mention BBC 6 Music‘s Steve Lamacq and EVERYTHING EVERYTHING‘s Jon Higgs. They have released three remarkable EPs so far: The House That Doubt Built, Low Sun Long Shadows and No Brain, No Pain, with the latter coming out in 2020. Two years on, the Liverpudlian indie pop/art rock collective are about to release their debut full-length A Death At Sea; the first with their new alias SAN LORENZ following their name change from the more widely recognised SPQR.
In the lead up to the release of the new album, SAN LORENZ have revealed four promotional singles: Tightrope, Where’s The Shock, Wickerman and Accessory. A Death At Sea contains a total of 11 tracks which are centred around dark yet hopeful melodies and inspired by themes such as “grief, hopelessness, de-realisations and the ‘death of the personality’.” There are also some other deeply personal songs included within the album that focus on vocalist Peter Harrison‘s mental state – a place in his life that made him feel empty and lifeless. Throughout the release, you end up being truly invested in imagining the sheer pain and heartache that Harrison has faced in his difficult life, whilst he “battled grief and bereavement under lockdown and social distance restrictions.”
The first track is Intro, which begins with a bouncy melody before going straight in with some almost cymbal-like sound effects, successfully building anticipation for what’s to come. As soon as Harrison‘s vocals kick in, you feel as though you have been transported to another universe, putting you in a dreamlike state. It’s definitely an intriguing opener. Tightrope has a very dream pop feel about it, with the guitar work really adding some oomph. Whilst the song has a positive and optimistic feel about it overall, the lyrics seem to be very dark and sinister, with Harrison crooning, “Knock on the head for bad behaviour / Yeah, I tread a tightrope, I can’t fall.”
Accessory is most certainly one of the standout songs on the album, with the soothing yet powerful instrumentals doing all the talking. It seems as though Harrison is also taking his vocals to the limit here, which pays off very well. Adjust The Angle sounds as though it’s going to launch into a track inspired by THE CORRS before an infectious bass line takes over. This is one of the most personal tracks on the album so far, with Harrison admitting to his mother that he could have been a better son, evolving his voice latterly to sound like YUNGBLUD. Dijiste Adios is another unusual song, with some serious harmonising taking place in the chorus which ends up being quite addictive to listen to. It has a calming yet mysterious feel about it as a whole. Where’s The Shock starts off a little differently with a funky guitar riff leading the way. This track speaks honestly about Harrison‘s struggle with mental health, with him asking “How can I feel nothing or next to nothing at all?“. This has to be the strongest track on the release, with an undoubtedly infectious chorus melody inspired by bands such as THE 1975.
Wickerman is a slightly less memorable track which still manages to incorporate one the key fundamentals featured heavily in the album: a raw, experimental indie pop sound. The Disappearing sounds as though it should feature in a crime television show, with some haunting background instrumentals really keeping you on your guard at all times. This feeling is well and truly elevated as soon as Harrison‘s distinctive vocals kick in. (Don’t Be) A Martyr instantly catches your attention with a catchy melody at the forefront of the song. The chorus is just as fantastic, with plenty of “oohs” to keep you entertained. Title track A Death At Sea is up next, which is somewhat dramatic. Elevated melodies help to keep you engaged, whilst Harrison‘s vocals continue to impress. The final track is First To Know. The instrumentals are intriguing all the way through, providing us with a fitting end to this great release.
It is genuinely unbelievable to us that A Death At Sea is the first album from SAN LORENZ. This is a truly fantastic body of work that keeps your attention from the start all the way through to the very end. The mix of catchy indie pop melodies combined with heartfelt, honest lyrics just works so well, creating a sound which is truly unique. If you haven’t yet listened to any of SAN LORENZ‘s music, this album will make for a great starting point.
Rating: 7/10
A Death At Sea is set for release on October 14th via Nuthin Gud Records.
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