SIGHTINGS - ARRIVED IN GOLD (LOAD 065)

THE THIRD RELEASE ON LOAD RECORDS BY THE NYC "NO-WAVE" (REALLY NOT SURE THEY FIT IN WITH THAT TRADITION ESPECIALLY IN A NEW YORK THAT WAS MIS-SHAPES AND THE RAPTURE'S RAMPANT CAREERISM) MISTHROPISTS SIGHTINGS IS A LEAP FORWARD FOR THE GROUP BY DINT OF LOCATING THEIR STRENGTHS AND PLAYING DOWN SOME OF THEIR WEAKNESSES.

SOMETIMES I THINK I AM A BAD FAN OF SIGHTINGS IN THAT I ONLY REALLY LIKE THEM AT THEIR MOST COHERENT AND MELODIC. SIGHTINGS THEMSELVES THINK OF THIS RECORD AS THEIR MOST "POPPY" AND WHILST IT SO UNBELIEVABLY FAR FROM NOT JUST ACTUAL POP BUT THE INDIE VERSION OF SAID THAT IT IS UNTRUE YOU CAN SORT OF SEE IT: THERE ARE SOME OVERT MELODIES HERE AND SONG STRUCTURES THAT ARE MORE TYPICAL. I LOVE IT. THEY'RE SO IDIOSYNCRATIC IN THEIR APPROACH THAT EVEN AT THEIR POPMOST LIKE SUGAR SEDIMENT (BASS SOUND LIKE A GAMELAN) AND INTERNAL COMPASS (OK THIS IS NOT FAR FROM EARLY LIARS) AND SWITCHING TO JUDGMENT IT SOUNDS LIKE NO ONE ELSE REALLY.

THERE ARE STILL SOME PUNISHING MOMENTS AND TIMES WHERE THE SONIC SPACE OPENS UP. IT HELPS (IMO) THAT THEY AREN'T CAKED IN HISS AND FEEDBACK BECAUSE YOU CAN HEAR THE CHEMISTRY, EVEN AT THEIR LEAST SONGLIKE THERE IS A SENSITIVITY AND INTERPLAY THAT IS COMMUNICATED. THE WHOLE THING SOUNDS LIKE IT IS RUSTING AND DECAYING RATHER THAN SIMPLY SWAMPED IN SHIT. THIS IS A GOOD RECORD.

CERTIFIED: GOOD