The album opens with “Cellular”. The guitars are muddy and strange computer sounds come and go. The panoramic bleeps sit somewhere between ASMR and anxiety, making for an uncannily unpleasant listen. “Supermarché” is low key, perhaps to the extent that it could be described as dull. There’s a laziness to the track in the way that it indulges in its misery so passively.

“The Dream” is a 1:39 track that begins like a “Pulk (Revolving Doors)” tribute. The track slides into “Perfecto Miserable” and that is almost what the album is, only it’s not quite perfect. It’s hard to indulge in the misery when King Krule sounds so bored with it. Whereas bands like The Cure invite the outcasts to embrace the storm with them, King Krule seems to be deliberately alienating his listeners by making music that is just a little too difficult to get into.

“(Don’t Let The Dragon) Draag On” is the album single and a highlight. The lo-fi beats are familiar and make King Krule’s martyr drones more palatable. He sings: “Walls get taller / I self-medicate / And how did you get this low? / That’s what the illness spoke.” There is perhaps something admirable here in the way the artist opens up about his depression without needing to include the audience. There’s something unmediated and potent about the album’s commitment to its own misery.

“Theme For The Cross” is a mix between lo-fi study beats and a horror movie soundtrack. It straddles the uncanny valley, neither indicating that we should relax nor that we should commit to the chaos. The result is something uncomfortable that while potentially an artistic achievement, makes the music wholly unenjoyable to listen to.

The album closer “Please Complete Thee” is a desperate plea for reassurance. He sings: “This place doesn’t move me / Everything just seems to be numbness around / This place doesn’t move me / Everything just constantly letting me down.” There’s something heartbreaking about the track in the way it both seeks and resists comfort, like a teenager pushing away his mom when all he really wants is a hug.

Overall, there is something poignant about King Krule’s album but it too adamantly resists the listener to be enjoyable. Perhaps next time, Krule can channel his negativity into something that involves his fanbase rather than alienates them.

2/5

The post King Krule’s “Man Alive!” is an Album of Anguish and Despair appeared first on Hot Pop Today.

Archy Marshall aka King Krule himself made the announcement alongside the release of his new video for “(Don’t Let The Dragon) Draag On.” The video features the King himself in a black and white close up of his face.

You can watch the video below.

Marshall explained that the album should have been released earlier but it was delayed due to the birth of his daughter. He also reveals how becoming a father helped him shake things up both musically and in his everyday routine.

“I should’ve had it all wrapped up before my daughter was born,” he explains. “It was just the easiness of it. There really is nothing else to do here, especially when it turns to winter. Everyone I know has jobs, whereas I’d sit on my arse all day sometimes not doing anything, then I’d go to the pub with them when they finished work. It became a bit habitual.

“Then, right in the middle of the record, this big change came in my life that I didn’t really comprehend initially. It was like, ‘Oh, I’d better get my s**t together!’”.

Man Alive! will be available on digital streaming platforms on February 21.

The post King Krule Confirms His Third Album Will Be Released Next Month appeared first on Hot Pop Today.

The album opens with “Cellular”. The guitars are muddy and strange computer sounds come and go. The panoramic bleeps sit somewhere between ASMR and anxiety, making for an uncannily unpleasant listen. “Supermarché” is low key, perhaps to the extent that it could be described as dull. There’s a laziness to the track in the way that it indulges in its misery so passively.

“The Dream” is a 1:39 track that begins like a “Pulk (Revolving Doors)” tribute. The track slides into “Perfecto Miserable” and that is almost what the album is, only it’s not quite perfect. It’s hard to indulge in the misery when King Krule sounds so bored with it. Whereas bands like The Cure invite the outcasts to embrace the storm with them, King Krule seems to be deliberately alienating his listeners by making music that is just a little too difficult to get into.

“(Don’t Let The Dragon) Draag On” is the album single and a highlight. The lo-fi beats are familiar and make King Krule’s martyr drones more palatable. He sings: “Walls get taller / I self-medicate / And how did you get this low? / That’s what the illness spoke.” There is perhaps something admirable here in the way the artist opens up about his depression without needing to include the audience. There’s something unmediated and potent about the album’s commitment to its own misery.

“Theme For The Cross” is a mix between lo-fi study beats and a horror movie soundtrack. It straddles the uncanny valley, neither indicating that we should relax nor that we should commit to the chaos. The result is something uncomfortable that while potentially an artistic achievement, makes the music wholly unenjoyable to listen to.

The album closer “Please Complete Thee” is a desperate plea for reassurance. He sings: “This place doesn’t move me / Everything just seems to be numbness around / This place doesn’t move me / Everything just constantly letting me down.” There’s something heartbreaking about the track in the way it both seeks and resists comfort, like a teenager pushing away his mom when all he really wants is a hug.

Overall, there is something poignant about King Krule’s album but it too adamantly resists the listener to be enjoyable. Perhaps next time, Krule can channel his negativity into something that involves his fanbase rather than alienates them.

2/5

The post King Krule’s “Man Alive!” is an Album of Anguish and Despair appeared first on Hot Pop Today.

Archy Marshall aka King Krule himself made the announcement alongside the release of his new video for “(Don’t Let The Dragon) Draag On.” The video features the King himself in a black and white close up of his face.

You can watch the video below.

Marshall explained that the album should have been released earlier but it was delayed due to the birth of his daughter. He also reveals how becoming a father helped him shake things up both musically and in his everyday routine.

“I should’ve had it all wrapped up before my daughter was born,” he explains. “It was just the easiness of it. There really is nothing else to do here, especially when it turns to winter. Everyone I know has jobs, whereas I’d sit on my arse all day sometimes not doing anything, then I’d go to the pub with them when they finished work. It became a bit habitual.

“Then, right in the middle of the record, this big change came in my life that I didn’t really comprehend initially. It was like, ‘Oh, I’d better get my s**t together!’”.

Man Alive! will be available on digital streaming platforms on February 21.

The post King Krule Confirms His Third Album Will Be Released Next Month appeared first on Hot Pop Today.