Hydra Head
2007
I can’t believe this is happening. I’m listening to an album by Justin Broadrick, and I can’t wait for it to end. This has never happened before. Even Hymns, arguably the weakest Godflesh album, had some brilliant peaks. But Conqueror – it bores me.
By normal standards, it’s a good album. The songs are pleasant, and the mix is fine, if lacking in heaviness. Drums sound nicely natural, and some cool distorted synths pan around the stereo spectrum. This is a serviceable shoegazer album.
But by Broadrick’s standards (or, more accurately, my standards of his work, as he’s probably happy with the record), it’s immensely disappointing. The reason? It’s lightweight. And not just because seven of the eight songs are in major keys. The previous two Jesu records had some great major key work.
Godflesh succeeded because it plumbed the lower depths of emotion. Jesu also explored those depths, but pushed up through them until it emerged bruised and mud-caked, blinking in the sunlight.
This record, though – it stays in the sun. It just lies there. It’s Ride or My Bloody Valentine tuned down, minus the mystery. The title track is OK, but an album’s worth of it ain’t. There are some “negative lyrics over positive music” that critics might praise. Fuck that.
You crushed me with sound, Justin; you made me feel. Now I am crushed because I feel nothing.
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Wow, I’m afraid I have to strongly disagree there. I’m actually willing to say I like it because of its lightweightedness. For a couple months I was certain Silver was better, but Conqueror has grown on me significantly…in fact, I prefer it to the first full-length. I guess it’s kind of like how I enjoyed the last Isis album for the same reason. I’m just a sap for that stuff, I guess!
No, you’re not a sap at all – I was in the minority on Isis, and I suspect I’ll be in a small minority for Jesu, too!
Wowzers, this is something I look forward to analyzing myself! And I’m a huge Isis fan…the new album was like therapy for me.
I’m glad to see that I’m not the only one mildly disappointed by the Jesu stuff, although I thought Hymns was a decent record, if a bit overlong.
I have to say, I wouldn’t go as far as you have, but to some degree I definitely agree. When I first heard the album I was VERY underwhelmed. It has since grown on me, and I do like it, but… I mean, I have fucking worshipped this dude for like 15 years now, and compared to the “Heartache” EP or the first Jesu full-length, this record just doesn’t strike as powerful an emotional chord with me at all – regardless of whether or not it’s more melodic or “lighter” or what have you. There’s just something missing, I don’t know…
A good record, but certainly not his best, and I feel like a lot of the overwhelming praise that’s being rained upon this album is rather empty.
Never ever cared for Jesu. Simple don’t see the point. The least interesting project of Justin’s career.
http://monkeybastard.blog.com
I thought the album was okay (I posted the text of my Wire review at my blog runningthevoodoodown.blogspot.com), but I saw Jesu live the other week and they just bored the pants off me.
I didn’t react badly to this album, but I didn’t love it either. I probably needed some of the roughness that JK had going on the earlier Jesu albums. It was alright.