Concept albums are tricky things. Not only are they prone to overly earnest music-making, over-indulgent creativity, and the sacrifice of accessibility for pseudo-intellectualism, but the term “concept album” will also conjure images of keyboard players in capes, guitar solos feel like they are measured in weeks rather than seconds, and story lines about shirefolk taking rings to Mordor. Bleurgh! No thanks.
But to be fair, the world has moved on, and some people are doing some more interesting things with the form, and one of those people is Slow Walk. Drawing on the grand ambition of albums such as Jeff Wayne‘s War of the Worlds and The Who’s masterpiece, Tommy, while weaving a similar love of cinematic storytelling, Slow Walk crafts an immersive soundscape, and one that sits at a comfortable distance from everything I have mentioned above.
The titular Mountain is, of course, a metaphor, primarily standing in for the challenges faced by an artist to stay creative, but encompassing issues that face us all, exploring themes of self-discovery, overcoming inner demons, and shedding mental baggage.
It is a deft musical blend of the digital and the analogue, the recognizable and the forward-thinking, the cinematic and the infectious. The introduction to the opening salvo, “Mountain Dreamer,” initially suggests a wander through the foothills of Vangelisian soundscaping, but then it quickly establishes its base camp in more experimental and exploratory, synth-driven, alt-pop/art-rock territory.
“High Chance” leans into an early 80s synth-pop sound, recalling bands such as early Depeche Mode and slightly reminiscent of club hippies The Shamen‘s “Move Any Mountain” if it were slowed down and chilled out. (Mountains everywhere!) “Don’t Carry That Weight” is an excellent slow grind woven of delicate keys and brooding beats, and “Nature Don’t Care” is a wonderfully self-depricating, play on words, which is always great to see.
My reference points have been somewhat retrospective up until this point, but there is something of the Grasslands creative ethic about the album, and while that isn’t one that many will get, to fans of fringe music, it almost feels like the start of a slight musical movement. Even if it isn’t, Slow Walk has given us an interesting sonic proposition here. Okay, it isn’t going to storm the charts, make loads of money, or usher in fame, but it is a reminder that some people are still thinking outside the box, and, in this case, at least, doing so in a way that would be accessible to the more discerning mainstream minds…so you never know. After all, we can only put up with the prevailing pop pap for so long. Dontcha think?
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