Rob’s Album of The Week: Idles’ Tangk
While a lot of folks might classify their music as punk or post-punk, Idles have increasingly become their own thing over the years. The British band from Bristol have pushed their sound into various directions while incorporating numerous elements. These include chamber pop, jazz and electronica, which is fairly interesting for an act with such an emphatic, rigid and intense approach. Their fifth album Tangk that came out on February 16 via Partisan Records exemplifies everything I just described in cohesive fashion. It’s their most wide-ranging release to date and it has a lot to offer the senses.
This installment of Idles’ discography marked a new step for the band due to working with a major producer for the first time. Nigel Godrich, who has notably worked with the likes of Radiohead and U2 along with many others, filled this role with multi-instrumentalist Mark Bowen and audio engineer Kenny Beats also assisting with the process. This collaboration opened new creative avenues, which is very evident in Tangk once you give it a listen. While maintaining their signature angst, vocalist Joe Talbot, bassist Adam Devonshire, drummer Joe Beavis, rhythm guitarist Lee Kiernan and Bowen embrace exploring unfamiliar territory with open arms. The result is some incredible tunes that give off a variety of vibes and aesthetics.
In this part of the world known as New England, August is usually the time when people start talking about the “Dog Days of Summer”. What about February? Are we currently in the “Dog Days of Winter”? It surely seems like it. While the environment outside is cold and frigid, we can take solace in the fact that by the middle of next month the warmer weather will be creeping in. Then before we know it, summer will be upon us and we’re all going to be making plans to head to the beach. Before we even think about making such engagements, please engage with the top tracks off of my Album of The Week:
Beavis’ drumming creates these rapid rhythms while backing up the rest of the instrumentation for “Roy”. The lead single off the album, “Dancer” lives up to its title by exuding an abundance of energy and vigor. Devonshire’s bass lines serve as the anchor while the rest of the band dives in to create a raucous display of amplification. “Jungle” has a kickass riffs setting the foundation and it showcases the band’s trademark rigidness. At the same time, it rides along a similar rhythmic structure as numerous other songs within Tangk.
Idles are currently embarking on a world tour in support of the new album that’s going to be lasting for the majority of the year. Their next gig is at the Super Bock Arena in Porto on February 29, and they have a boatload of other dates in tow. For us in North America, these include back-to-back dates at the PNE Forum in Vancouver on May 2 & 3, May 11 at The Warfield in San Francisco, September 24 at Roadrunner in Boston and October 4 at Pepsi Center in Mexico City. To see when this incredible quintet will be performing at your friendly neighborhood music venue, log onto their tour page right here. In the meantime, grab a copy of Tangk and experience a brand of progression that’s both innovative and eye-opening.
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