“Work (work, work)”
5 out of 5 Pitchforks
Ghostly International
Released: Sept. 6
There are certain artists one can count on to consistently deliver records that generate a distinct mood. Sade, for instance, creates a seductive brand of champagne popping, lovemaking music. For years, the Beastie Boys have provided party-charged hip-hop jams. One can’t help but wonder how many lonely glasses of scotch have been swallowed up by the heartbroken as Frank Sinatra crooned over the jukebox.
Australian-based rock duo HTRK has little to nothing in common with any of the aforementioned artists, aside from a devotion to shape a pronounced atmosphere with their music. Ghostly International, their US record label, describes the band’s sound as “…a comedown, a bad trip, a hip romance…” — which perfectly describes the group’s unique sound.
“Work (work, work)” is HTRK’s second full-length album. The title is especially appropriate, given the amount of emotional and physical work the band has endured over the past two years.
In March 2010, bassist and founding member Sean Stewart tragically took his own life. It was just months after HTRK had finished playing some of their biggest shows while touring with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The Horrors.
Burdened with the loss of a friend, HTRK’s two remaining members, Jonnine Standish and Nigel Yang, trudged on to complete “Work (work, work).”
The absence of Stewart’s driving bass lines, which played an important role in their previous record “Marry Me Tonight,” is noticeable but not detrimental. Instead, Standish and Yang find other interesting ways to fill out the bottom end.
808 beats push the album’s mid-tempo pulse for nearly 40 minutes as eerie synths, sparse guitar and noise smoke up the rest of the hypnotic soundscape.
Standish’s stoned out vocals are thick with reverb. Her voice drifts in and out of each song, acting as some sort of otherworldly tour guide. She possesses the twisted lyrical ability to tiptoe the line between romantic and erotic.
“Work (work, work)” is a complete body that functions best as a whole. Each track drifts seamlessly into the next while never becoming tiresome.
Many bands lack vision and those that do have it, sacrifice it for reasons like potential radio play or fame. With “Work (work, work),” HTRK has remained faithful to their aesthetic and successfully crafted a heavy emotional weight.
Reach the reporter at tebrook1@asu.edu
