Sometimes the biggest problem with a record is its identity, or perhaps lack of. There are artists who are desperate to showcase their diverse, almost schizophrenic musical personalities over the course of just one album, and some can pull it off. Others crash and burn.
On 'Ascent', Six Organs of Admittance man Ben Chasny doesn’t do either of these things, but instead falls frustratingly in between. Opening number 'Waswasa' is all psychedelic guitar noodling but ultimately it goes nowhere and proves nothing. Instead it just sits there, relaxing contemplatively in its own acid inspired freakiness. Unfortunately, it perfectly sums up the main problem with this record. There just isn’t much material of real value here. Like 'Waswasa', almost everything feels like it exists without really making much of a difference. Most of the album features similar aesthetics to the opener and thus, as much as it should be interesting and should be exciting, it just isn’t.
It says a lot that the finest moments here are when Chasny chooses to slow things down. The droney 'Solar Ascent' and the gentle 'Your Ghost' see the album approach a beguiling state of tranquillity, but then they only serve as a reminder that the guitar freak outs that dominate the record are almost as nothing. Chasny proves he is a talented guitar player but most of his playing is swallowed up by its own indulgence. The solos are too plentiful, too long and, dare one say it, too stale.
As such, 'Ascent' just becomes frustrating. A little bit of editing, a little bit less psych would go a long way. Sure, this is Chasny expressing one part of his musical personality but, when this record makes it so obvious where his strengths lie (i.e. not in releasing an album that mostly sounds like Hawkwind studio outtakes), it may be very hard for some listeners to care. This is some way from being a bad album, but it is even further from being a great one.
'Ascent' is out on Monday 20th August via Drag City.
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On 'Ascent', Six Organs of Admittance man Ben Chasny doesn’t do either of these things, but instead falls frustratingly in between. Opening number 'Waswasa' is all psychedelic guitar noodling but ultimately it goes nowhere and proves nothing. Instead it just sits there, relaxing contemplatively in its own acid inspired freakiness. Unfortunately, it perfectly sums up the main problem with this record. There just isn’t much material of real value here. Like 'Waswasa', almost everything feels like it exists without really making much of a difference. Most of the album features similar aesthetics to the opener and thus, as much as it should be interesting and should be exciting, it just isn’t.
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