ALBUM REVIEW: Care Vale – Ambassador
In a world where ‘heavy’ music sits firmly outside the mainstream, it’s a rare treat to hear a band with something for everyone. AMBASSADOR are one of those bands. On their second album, Care Vale, the group show such impressive command of melody, heaviness, dynamics and songcraft that it’s hard to imagine a person who wouldn’t draw at least some enjoyment from it.
While Care Vale is only the band’s second release, one could be forgiven for thinking AMBASSADOR have been around for decades. The songs on this album feel so mature and well-crafted. They also represent a significant step forward from those on the album’s much longer predecessor. In the past, AMBASSADOR have been compared to THRICE and RUSSIAN CIRCLES. Both of these comparisons are still apt on Care Vale, but it feels as though the band are drawing on an even wider pool of influence this time round. There are points on this album which bring to mind the alternative metal atmospherics of DEFTONES. There are others which are more reminiscent of the more melodic side of doom (think ELEPHANT TREE, not BONGRIPPER). Add to this a healthy dose of post-rock, post-punk, prog and shoegaze and one begins to get a picture of what these guys do.
Hailing from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, AMBASSADOR‘s also have a firm Southern rock grounding. On Care Vale this is perhaps best heard in singer/bassist Gabe Vicknair‘s powerful vocal performance. His voice has a deep, almost whiskey soaked quality to it which evokes the feel of a smoky dive bar. At the same time, he delivers massive hooks which feel ready made for festivals around the world, and wouldn’t sound out of place on mainstream radio. Vicknair‘s lyrics are another highlight. Lines like “You don’t always get to consume what you kill” and “The truth bleeds through the eyes” exude an ethereal cool which permeates much of the album.
Vicknair isn’t the only one who shines on this album though. Nobody is pulling their punches. Ean Savoy‘s drumming adds weight and drive throughout, even in moments of relative softness like on much of the title track. There are also moments where Savoy and Vicknair show off just how tight a rhythm section they are, locking in on tracks like Colonial and Spasma.
The dual guitar attack of Dustin Borne and Jason Ourso is equally impressive. As on its predecessor, there are few moments on this album where the two guitarists are playing the same thing. Instead Care Vale overflows with intricate lead parts, heavy riffs, atmospheric textures, and often beautiful solos. One highlight in particular is the stunning first half of track three, Subterfuge. The song opens as an ominous, doomy waltz, which is soon joined by a haunting, mournful post-rock style lead part. It’s one of several moments on Care Vale where AMBASSADOR show that they aren’t afraid to give their ideas the space they deserve.
The impressive performances on Care Vale are further helped by the album’s excellent production. Much like RUSSIAN CIRCLES, AMBASSADOR‘s music is so full of rich details, and the listener can hear every one. That isn’t to say this album is overstuffed with layers of instruments and production tricks. Recorded live in just two days, there are very few backing tracks or overdubs. As a result, Care Vale is a record with an energy that can often only be captured by getting a band in a room together and hitting record.
It’s hard to pick out highlights on an album this strong throughout, but, as well as Subterfuge, the final two tracks are both worth a mention. Severant shows the band at their most dynamic, with moments of quiet and space making the heavy parts feel that much heavier. Spasma strikes a near-perfect balance of heaviness and melody, with lyrics that appear to lament the loss of human connection due to social media. Both the music and theme feel a fitting conclusion to an album with such capacity to bring together disparate groups of music fans.
At a little more than 30 minutes long, Care Vale doesn’t give AMBASSADOR much space to put a foot wrong. If anything it’s a shame this album isn’t longer. Instead, it’s one of those rare releases which will no doubt have listeners hitting play all over again as soon as it finishes.
It feels like the world is very much yet to wake up to AMBASSADOR – at the time of writing they have only 47 monthly listeners on Spotify. A record as good as Care Vale should change that. Whether it will is a question of time, but for now AMBASSADOR have proven themselves as a band well worth watching for years to come.
Rating: 9/10
Care Vale is out now via self-release.
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