Slow Learner “In Their Time They Are Magnificent” (Independent 2006)

Go straight to the head of the class

If you have followed the career of Pall Jenkins and Tobias Nathaniel through 3 Mile Pilot to Black Heart Procession you’ll gobble this up like the tasty morsel of mid-tempo piano driven sub-gothic Americana that it is. There are many parallels from the pounding cottage industry percussion, moments of mechanical music box precision, the musical ambition and the attention to detail. Enough of that because Michael Napolitano has more in his locker than mere similarities - ‘Ringing in the New Year’ does precisely that with strings and piano, where he skilfully builds atmosphere careful as a diver preparing for a deep one. He takes it one step at a time - ‘White Walls’ is a case in point, two minutes of scene setting before the drums and guitar are let loose - they plateau, establish the ground, gradually a keyboard figure and vocal refrain begin to dominate and depart leaving a piano flashing notes like a distress beacon. At their best they create a creepy creaky atmosphere: ‘The Better the Lonely’ is a pox-ridden sea shanty whilst ‘Sleepy’ is the kind of lullaby that will give you nightmares about your soul being sucked out of your body. ‘Minister of Minstrels & Whores’ is a distaff dream peopled by powdered gentry waltzing with gambling dogs in an unholy collision of cheap paintings and avant garde art; disturbing and very good.

Date review added:  Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Reviewer:  David Cowling
Reviewers Rating:
Related web link:  Band Website