The Veils
Sun Gangs
Rating: 3.5
Label: Rough Trade
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Sun Gangs, the third album released by The Veils, is an eclectic compilation of melodic ballads, clattering discordance and even a bit of doo-wop. While tackling so many different styles within an album may sound overambitious, The Veils take on the challenge with a technical prowess that excels from track to track, all held together by lead singer Finn Andrews’ distinctive vibrato. With Sun Gangs, Andrews (son of XTC keyboardist Barry Andrews), bassist Sophia Burns, guitarist Dan Raishbrook and drummer Henning Dietz have produced The Veils’ most polished album to date.
Within the first 30 seconds of album opener “Sit Down By the Fire,” listeners will easily be seduced by Andrews’ effortless resonance. The song is beautifully understated, with earthy piano chords and energetic percussion directly and deliberately contrasted with melancholy lyrics. When Andrews croons, “It’s hard to say/ But I think you’d better/ Just say you don’t love me/ Don’t love me anymore,” there is no trace of bitterness or violent distress. Instead, Andrews’ plea to “sit down by the fire” is a modern day “look for the silver lining” – it’s a call to admire the “complicated beauty” in disaster and pain.
The next track, “Sun Gangs,” is another somber piano ballad, well suited to Andrews’ distinctive voice. While the song itself is poignant and well executed, it sets up the expectation that this will be an album of endless crooning. This thought is quickly dashed; “The Letter,” starting off with a guitar riff reminiscent of XY-era Coldplay, alters that direction altogether, while “Killed By the Boom” is a loud, brash, discordant cry of indignation, with Andrews yelling rather than brooding over the clash of guitars. Though jarring, it’s an unexpected and refreshing shift in tone that displays The Veils’ desire to experiment with vocal ranges and genres. “The House She Lived In” is a definite talking piece, an anecdotal little number about a lover’s death that boasts the album’s catchiest chorus, all backed by a chirpy doo-wop beat. It’s playful yet heart-wrenchingly earnest, displaying an endearing sense of humor in the face of darker themes.
Though the album experiments with a variety of styles and sentiments, The Veils know their strengths, and comfortably return to a light plinking melody for the finale piece. After the surreal Buckley-esque feel of the penultimate “Larkspur,” “Begin Again” parallels “Sit Down By the Fire,” finishing the album on a sweet and melancholy but ultimately reassuring note. Overall it is a commendable collection that pulls off an ambitious track list with enough technical skill and restraint to produce a surprisingly cohesive and enjoyable album.
by Nicola Fairhead
