Neglect the Platonic splendid, Shellac have at all times aspired to the sardonic splendid. On a ditty cheekily titled “Chick New Wave” — off To All Trains, the noise-rock group’s sixth and ultimate album following the current loss of life of its singer-guitarist Steve Albini — we hear Albini hector, “I’m by with music from dudes … all I care about is chick new wave.” And naturally he sings this as if the three musicians who wrote and recorded the tune aren’t dudes whose final album was titled Dude Unimaginable, and that any chick would let him slide with calling her a “chick.”
However nudging the envelope was at all times Albini’s mission, although he dialed it again lately. Along with his first band, Huge Black, he sang about bored pyromaniacs set themselves on fireplace and titled an album Songs About Fucking, so by the point Shellac launched their third album, 2000’s 1000 Hurts, a tune like “Prayer to God,” a post-grunge rumination on which he petitions his deity to kill the person who stole his lady painfully (and smite her painlessly), the method already felt like Albini lite. By Dude Unimaginable, launched a decade in the past, he and his bandmates appeared extra in having enjoyable however with tongue extra firmly in cheek than beforehand. Albini’s complete demeanor appeared to alter prior to now 5 years, too, as he requested the web for a reckoning for his previous “edgelord” habits. As of late, he was all about darkish sarcasm, probably not hurting folks’s emotions (jokingly or not), and that mordant levity is what defines To All Trains.
Albini and vocalist-bassist Bob Weston sing most songs with a smirk. There’s the album’s “How I Wrote How I Wrote ‘Elastic Man’ (cock & bull),” whose title takes the piss out of the Fall tune from 1979 which took the piss out of a comic book strip from round 1939. “Earlier than we begin, I have to clarify, the title as soon as was ‘Sauerkraut’” Weston deadpans on the tune. And there’s “Scabby the Rat,” a Wipers-like ode to everybody’s favourite union mascot and, in fact, the LP’s opening lyrics, “Aspire to bronze, however I’ll accept lead” on the world rock sendup, “Wsod.” Albini and Weston even say, “excessive 5” to one another on “Lady Type Exterior,” and they’re two males who don’t appear to be the high-fivin’ sort.
Perhaps the snark is all a take a look at to see how carefully you’re paying consideration, since Shellac have at all times existed within the interzone between Critical Artwork Rock and serving because the style’s preeminent roastmasters common. The Fall and Low cost Trick have been equal influences on Albini and certain his bandmates, however he additionally favored to play Lenny Bruce onstage.
To All Trains captures the nexus of great/not severe that Shellac made their métier. It’s 28 minutes lengthy (shorter and funnier than a Younger Sheldon) and it sounds wonderful, even when streamed from a telephone to Bluetooth headphones round ears with low-level tinnitus (Albini would doubtless have winced that anybody would take heed to any music that manner, however hey, he recorded and mastered the file in a manner that interprets completely even to the worst listening conditions.) Musically, the rhythms lunge, drummer Todd Coach cuts unfastened all through however particularly on a free-rhythm part of “Wednesday” and a cowbell on “Days Are Canines,” and so they even discover a swinging blues groove on “Scrappers,” a tune whose lyrics learn like they’re written by the kings of the junkyard. Hey, it’s enjoyable.
The one time the irony crosses a line is on the ultimate tune, “I Don’t Worry Hell,” on which Albini gnashes his enamel whereas singing the strains, “I’ll leap in my grave just like the arms of a lover,” and “If there’s a heaven, I hope they’re having enjoyable/’Trigger if there’s a hell, I’m gonna know everybody.” The music ebbs and flows and crashes into itself like a beautiful sonic tempest, however listening to Albini sing these phrases (and “If I can’t take it with me, I’ll have all of it now” on “Days are Canines”) so quickly after his loss of life feels merciless.
Nonetheless, if anybody disliked sentimentality (as this and each Shellac tune proves) it was Albini. By that measure, To All Trains won’t be Shellac’s defining assertion (sadly, that was each time they carried out dwell) however with its snarling lyrics and crisp sound, the file actually meets the Albinic splendid.
