I was a fan of the EMA record when it dropped a few years back, but I can't say I was in love with it. There were a few songs I liked..maybe even REALLY liked, but it never truly resonated with me. And then last weekend I had my come-to-Jesus moment with Past Life Martyred Saints.
At the behest of a friend, I revisited the record, bringing with me a more seasoned ear, bloodshot eyes and beer-soaked breath. Sitting on my coach with my headphones on, blankly staring at a Michigan football game wind down, I was blown away by the craftsmanship of the record. I loved the artistic intent of the record, the harsh intensity, the sonic brashness, the not-quite-perfect vocals; it was truly gripping.
To call it pop music would be unfair to both PLMS and to pop music, but it is certainly constructed with that blueprint in mind, even if it is just to color outside the lines. This is most prominent in "Breakfast", where the structure of the song is traditional pop, with a chanted repetition kicking off the song and remaining throughout, but the content is far too stark and melancholy to be heard on your local station. In "Breakfast" as well as "California", the use of popular children's lyrics nudges you towards the realization that this is almost a nursery rhyme. Granted, it has taken a strange, weird turn, but at its heart it is a bubblegum pop song.
Call it post-pop, call it alternative, call it whatever gets you through the night, but the most important thing to do with this album is listen, and let it call out to you.
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