CAVALCADE: ALBUM REVIEW
For a brief while, the hype behind Black Midi outshone their music. I heard about Black Midi long before I heard a single note they played. The words “raw,” “experimental,” and even “tribal” were thrown around. I heard about their live sets, their personality, and pretty much everything other than their records. Their debut album last year, titled Schlagenheim, changed that as they released a blistering, barnstormer of a project that began to show what they had to offer. On their newest project, Cavalcade, they officially step outside of the indie-rock hype machine and reveal that they may be one of the most interesting groups working right now.
Cavalcade stays true to its name: it never stays still and the band consistently showcases its willingness to evolve beyond the typical constraints of genre. Every time you think you have the album pinned down, it shifts underneath you, throwing you into a confusing realm of uncertainty. Despite this, the band stays extraordinarily dedicated to trying to absolutely rip your face off with sound.
The album begins with the track “John L,” which features snare drum hits that sound more like gunshots than a musical rhythm. The song then alternates between complete silence and chaotic crescendos, maintaining its jazzy composure while keeping the listener outside of their comfort zone. Though their older music would occasionally wander off a bit aimlessly, each song on Cavalcade feels like it has a clear beginning, middle, and end. Even so, the band never allows you to predict exactly how it’s going to get there. It’s an incredibly focused project that guides you through the crazy world it wants you to see.
As the album continues, we begin a descent into madness. Each song introduces new elements, new sounds, and new textures to the project mix. Some songs feature heavy melodies and anguished vocals, like the track “Dethroned,” which features emotive guitars and vocals over a tight percussive backdrop. The vocal performance by the band’s frontman, Geordie Greep, steps it up by multiple levels. On this project, Greep’s voice has matured into a true force of nature.
Black Midi is not afraid of a little bit of dissonance in their music, which leads to sweeping passages on the album that keep the listener feeling on edge and uncomfortable. On the song “Hogwash and Banderdash,” no two chords ever create harmony. This constant dissonance grates on your emotions as the drums bang against your ears. Even so, the band manages to manifest a god-like presence. Each twist and turn seems fully in the band’s control as they craft their own world.
Cavalcade is a beautiful journey through the minds of a band that seems to be in constant evolution. Black Midi has shown that they are more than willing to be experimental and continually change what they are doing in order to adjust to the world around them. They are constantly bringing something new to a scene that has been stuck with the remnants of another time. Black Midi is pushing rock music in a newer, more joyous, and weirder direction.