The Hallelujah Chorus.
Hello my friends hope you are as well as can be as 2020 welcomes the return of Creeper, yes they teased and took on us a tour of duty seeking out the Stranger and all the chaos that ensued, but all is back in order now. They have adorned themselves in white, forgive me but I’ll still where black when I next see you, and are sharing their experiences on a journey from sex to death, via the infinite void. Fifteen songs, it’s a monster this one, and they know how to write music, it is a gift, natural and untainted. We all hurt; our friends here use their art as a conduit to channel their frustrations and are happy to have us along for the ride. We can relate to them, as humans it is likely we have suffered the same and loved the same.
So, it’s an almighty ‘Hallelujah!’ to start, ride the crest of a promise to ‘Be My End’ with its classic emo vibes we get all loved up and let down as the cops chase us out of town. In essence, what we have here is a forever ticket into another world, one where we can escape, where we can live, where we can breathe and re-visit time and time again when we feel the need. Once you have crossed that line, get ready to meet ‘Annabelle’ replete with ghostly enchantment and drink from the ‘Cyanide’ that is at your disposal. A heady mix of sass and strut a la Jarvis Cocker, anticipation skyrocketing with each twist and turn, the gravitational pull of the guitar and bass grooves, entwined with the princely percussion and nimble- fingered gliding over the ebony and ivories, we take immense pride in this most cohesive and adaptable cohort. In ‘Paradise’ I find what I came looking for, the arrangements here especially the saxophone take me straight to The Damned circa ‘Phantasmagoria’ , very classy, dipping into a little slick and sultry while retaining their integrity and honesty. The ‘Thorns Of Love’ is memorable and indeed a throwback into Meatloaf territory, very polished and operatic. What this record teaches us is that music is universal, it overlaps many genres and sub-cultures, it is multi-layered and multi-faceted, breaking barriers and boundaries. Creeper have adopted and incorporated these ideas to create a rapturous and all -encompassing sound that teases and tantalises the baying public.
A time to reflect as we finish with ‘All My Friends’ a very Nick Cave-esque number, allow yourself to be consumed into the black, you will be comforted. I’ll just mention that this record includes vocal contributions from a heroine of mine, the original Gothmother herself , Patricia Vanian ( yes, married to my favourite singer Dave) she has swag and style a-plenty, an accomplished bassist in her own right, but suitably placed here, both sonically and aesthetically, to astound and delight the senses.
Creeper have overcome the dreaded second album hurdle, here’s to all those born cold, hang on to your dark little Emo hearts.
Azra Pathan
Creeper -Sex, Death and The Infinite Void out now via Roadrunner Records.