WU LYF - Go Tell Fire to the Mountain

                                   

 

 

WU LYF

Go Tell Fire to the Mountain

L Y F; 2011

B+

I have never changed my opinion on an album from first listen to second try as much as I did with WU LYF's debut. There is no doubt I would have given this LP a F after the first listen. Ellery Roberts vocals are about as rough as a strip of sandpaper with thumb tacks sticking out of it. In contrast, the rest of the band just about perfect. The clean guitar is usually the driving force for most tracks while the drum and bass do an excellent job of keeping up. I'm assuming most people will be instantly turned away from the vocals and never give this band a true chance. Believe it or not, there does come a point where the vocals start to blend in with the music in an odd way and it essentially becomes one of the instruments. Trying to follow along to what he is actually saying would be nearly impossible because you aren't supposed to...much like the Hopelandic lyrics used in a lot of Sigur Ros tracks.

"L Y F" is a great opening track and you can almost picture the band walking onto stage one member at a time to this. The bass line that leads you into the first verse is flawless. "Cave Song" gives you no chance to regain yourself after the opening track by starting off with vocals. You are then immersed in beautiful clean guitar riff along with a complimentary drum beat. The ending of this particular track is exceptional. "Such a Sad Puppy Dog" is probably the least believable ballad ever. The singer can't even talk in a serenading voice without sounding like he is bleeding to death. Then again, maybe that makes it even more believable than if Britney Spears were singing about something written for her. "Summas Bliss" and "We Bros" have great intros while "Spitting Blood" and "Dirt" are oddly appealing. "Concrete Gold" is the climax of the album I feel. Such a great overall song and probably the best chorus no one will be able to sing along to, ever. The 2 closing tracks do an excellent job of wrapping up the album. 

While it may seem all over the map and disorganized, Go Tell Fire to the Mountains is an abstract piece of art...it just may take a few listens to see it. 

Highlight Tracks:
"L Y F"
"We Bros"
"Concrete Gold"


Other Reviews:


Sputnik: 4.5 of 5 (superb)
Pitchfork: 8.4 of 10