Castrovalva - You’re Not in Hell, You’re in Purgatory My Friend (Album Review)
Wednesday, 26 September 2012
Written by Ben Bland
Perhaps being straightforward really is overrated. Perhaps the fastest route to musical satisfaction is actually through being as awkward as humanly possible. Castrovalva certainly seem to think so. For them the question is very firmly “What can’t we do?” Unfortunately for purists, however, they proceed to collect all the answers to that question and then go down the paths suggested by those answers anyway.
For some, this approach will make 'You’re Not in Hell, You’re in Purgatory My Friend' nigh on unlistenable, for others it will be the major source of its charms. Certainly if the idea of music that veers alarmingly between dance, noise and punk without any given warning makes you get the shivers, then you should steer well clear of this release. If you are prepared for the kaleidoscopic journey into blistering sound that Castrovalva offer then your appreciation for the trio’s ability to craft actual tunes out of their varied reference points will no doubt be enormous.
Certainly there is no shortage of bewilderingly difficult transitions to keep listeners on their toes, but the hooks still stand out on the likes of 'I am the Golden Window' and 'The Cavalry'. Opener 'Best Friends Go to Purgatory' may be unsettling and act as a short, sharp shock to start things off, but it also proves from the beginning that Castrovalva are more than just a genre-confused trio who have more ideas than songwriting ability. Despite everything, this record is nowhere near as weird as the sum of its parts means that it should be.
Maybe that is the one slight problem. Castrovalva seem to be unafraid to do whatever the hell they want, but at the same time they could be something more. The experimental elements to their sound would, occasionally, benefit hugely from being given just a little more space to breathe. The reason closer 'A Vulture’s Eyes' is a highlight is because it gets four minutes to develop. The majority of tracks here only get half that time, resulting in a record that feels slightly like it is over before it has begun. Breakneck it is, but fully satisfying it is not, quite. The entertainment stakes see Castrovalva running as well as ever, therefore, but maybe next time they would benefit from being a little less economical so as to truly allow full appreciation of their talents.
'You’re Not in Hell, You’re in Purgatory My Friend' is out on Monday 1st October via Brew. Castrovalva tour the UK with Nine Black Alps in October.
Oct 10th - Glasgow King Tuts
Oct 11th - York The Duchess
Oct 13th - Nottingham Bodega Social
Oct 14th - Southampton Joiners
Oct 15th - London Borderline
Oct 16th - Brighton Green Door Store
Oct 17th - Cardiff Clwb Ifor Bach
Oct 18th - Bristol The Cooler Bristol
Oct 19th - Manchester The Ruby Lounge
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For some, this approach will make 'You’re Not in Hell, You’re in Purgatory My Friend' nigh on unlistenable, for others it will be the major source of its charms. Certainly if the idea of music that veers alarmingly between dance, noise and punk without any given warning makes you get the shivers, then you should steer well clear of this release. If you are prepared for the kaleidoscopic journey into blistering sound that Castrovalva offer then your appreciation for the trio’s ability to craft actual tunes out of their varied reference points will no doubt be enormous.
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