I’m sure such undercurrents have always been there, but ‘Inside Out’ and the album it’s taken from, That’s When the Earth Becomes a Star, feel like the point where Sean MacLeod reveals a deeper, more poignant side to his songwriting. As the album’s name suggests, there are some more searching, more philosophical thoughts at work here, and indeed it is themes of alienation, transformation, and a quest for deeper meaning in a world governed by technology, materialism, and rampant commercialism that lyrically shape this new album.
That said, ‘Inside Out’ is still a song based on his inherent melodics – accessible indie vibes, grunge-heavy melodics, rock groove and pop-awareness – but where he is often buoyant and bright, here he is brooding, and those hidden undercurrents once half-hidden, down the heart of his songs, now dancing deftly and defiantly across the surface.
‘Inside Out’ is a heady weave of strident rhythms and dark design, but then the chorus hits, and MacLeod’s love of 60s pop can be heard writ large; Hammonds swoon across a more dense-than-usual guitars-scape, and for all its accessibility there is something ominous hanging over the song, like a doomsday clock in sonic form.
This is perhaps the darkest, most musically heavy moment of the album, the deep dive before the return to the rarefied air, and taken together, these songs provide a wonderful sonic shape, rising and falling, ebbing and flowing as required, but what they do better than MacLeod has ever done before is give you something to really think about. In the past, he has given us cause to perhaps casually muse on his songs’ themes; now he completely puts us on the spot and demands we contemplate our place in the world.
Facebook
Bandcamp
YouTube
Instagram
