What happened to us here
Ok, I’ve been listening to this album for a week now, mainly. I still play Loveless specially when walking, but on home Shadows of the Sun has been on repeat, constant partner. I’m wondering what can I say. It’s fucking awesome album. It is also quite hard album to get in, there’s very little repetition which is quite unheard of when we are talking about popular music (like rock, pop, metal). Then again is Ulver popular music? I cannot say? Then again is Ulver inside any of those genres? No, they’re not.
The Beginning, Eos is the most easiest way to get in, because in it, the “bass” lines keep repeating and the whole songs goes around of them. The melody is clear but but it doesn’t repeat anything. There’s now verses and there’s no choruses. This was pretty much the case on the “blood inside” too, but not quite. Vocals are awesome throughout the album but that was pretty predictable, right. Then after Eos, I feel that nothing repeats. This is not absolutely truth but it feels that way. If some part is done, they never seem return to it. (ok like on Vigil, the stunningly beautiful piano melody [that for some reason brings tori Amos to my mind] doesn’t really repeat, but they return to it later on, although with more electronic sound).
And what is remarkable is that they have crafted loads of hooks all around the album, but they don’t have to make those hooks choruses (which would be what pop/rock/metal music often does). They use such a little tricks, like piano melodies, that keep changing, some electronic noise that never returns. Piano and strings are actually most important thing with garms vocals on the whole album. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of instruments going on, but the soundscape is full and lush.
Garms said on some interview that he would like to have done the whole album without drums. I understand his point, but then when you hear how the percussions are used on the album I so disagree and am extremely happy that they got them there, listen the [song] shadows of the sun and when the percussion come along after the last word, what power that brings to the piano and the song, and it’s not huge sound it’s just really well crafted, pointed so sharply to it’s place that it has a huge effect without being huge it self.
Also Mathias Eick’s Trumpet is so well placed. Listen Let the Children Go 2:22, or All the Love 1:46
The only thing that I find annoying and am actually wondering is the Black sabbeth cover Solitude? Why is it there. The first six songs flow forwards so nicely and I feel that Solitude with is clear song structure breaks this flow. To me it jumps out too much. It still sounds Ulver there sure, not black sabbath, but still. To me it has more to do with the flow of music and the structure of songs/the whole album. So I wonder why? Because it’s not a bad song and it’s not a bad cover, but why here? I don’t know. Nevertheless that is a minor flaw which to me feels bigger because the album seems otherwise so flawless at the moment.
The lyrics are great. Some really deep thoughs. Simple, few words and yet complex and vast. It’s not just that the lyrics are good, it’s how they work together with the music. Listen the end ofWhat Happened? What happened to us here and then such a simple strings, which are not giving the answer but creating this feeling of unexplainable loss.
Yes I’ve been listening this on repeat for a week now. And today, even though not feeling very emotional otherwise, this album has made me cry several times. Out of sadness, beauty and joy. Not before but today. It has grown on me and I’m sure it will grow on for a long time. I keep thinking that I would give this album as an xmas present for everyone. I’m just afraid that it would be wasted on my parents though (but you never can be sure)
Do you self a favour, go into the shop. Get shadows of the sun and listen to it. not once, not twice but for a day, or week or month, let it grow.
A flower
Will open
On the grave
