[Grief] RE: Re: The Endless Knot, what do we think of it?

[Angus Spottiswoode]

A bit late, but I wanted to chime in with my thoughts on Endless (K)Not.

I really think it is quite amazing. Heretical I may be, but for me it is the 
best TG (studio) album yet. For some reason all throughout the year-long 
delay I just had this feeling, perhaps just a hope, that it would be worth 
the wait, and that somehow it would sound quite DIFFERENT to the "old" TG. 
But it would still be unmistakeably the work of those four people; that it 
would be evident that no other people could make those combinations of 
sounds.
And, at least to my ears, that's how it comes over.

No doubt it is not as "raw" sounding as the old TG, even though tracks like 
'Vow' are still absolute aural assaults. There is a digital cleanness to the 
sound that is unexpected from the band, yet I think that works in its 
favour. To me, the attention to detail that it appears has gone into the 
editing and mixing has really paid off: there is this richness, there are 
many different layers of sound, which repay multiple listens. It is truly a 
storm of twisted technological twitches, moans and juggernaut-thick slabs of 
noise. Haunting, creepy, yes. Beautiful in places too. A mood is conjured as 
promised, an entire world to fall into.
As someone once wrote about some Zappa album: it will withstand very abusive 
repeat listenings!

In fact I don't think there's an album I've played more this year (so far). 
I've even managed to interest a couple of friends who always thought TG were 
"too weird", by playing them tracks like 'Separated'. They appreciate the 
ambiences of tracks like that. So it's been useful there too!

Gen's vocals and lyrics are particularly fascinating on this album, partly 
because they are so sparse - you want more - but also they are quite 
enigmatic. Less concerned with old TG touchstones, these seem more mystical 
and personal in nature.
In fact to me the whole album has a mystical, natural-world air to it.
And then you still get some of the most malevolent, relentless, brutal music 
of TG's career with tracks like 'Lyre Liar'.

My fave tracks? Changes a lot but 'Vow', 'Lyre Liar' and 'Above The 
Below'... I think!

I know in terms of new material we have the Nico project (which sounds 
intruiging) but I hope that TG don't call it a day after that. Endless Not 
feels like a re-birth: it would be a shame not to continue it.

Well anyway, those are my thoughts. Cheers.

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