What if ten years ago, for some unknown reason, a significant event had caused such strong interference that it disrupted the tangential space-time continuum and generated an alternate timeline? A lot of things wouldn't have happened and maybe, just maybe, today we would be a little more naive, less disappointed and less pessimistic. Maybe they wouldn't have been published Distant Satellites e The Optimist. Maybe Jamie wouldn't have decided to leave the band. Maybe Danny wouldn't have gone through that personal rough patch. Maybe he Anathema they would not have disbanded. Vincent would not have opted to dedicate himself to electronic music and, perhaps, this Ocean Without a Shore would have been the natural successor to Weather Systems.
The solo album of Daniel Cavanagh He follows those steps very carefully. Nothing evolves but the discussion continues exactly where events had led it to leave off. He manages to recreate certain atmospheres of suspension and poetry that were now believed to be relegated to the dimension of memory. It does it with respect without overdoing it too much, without shamelessly copying, without celebrating and without belittling, without apparent regrets and obsessions, without even limiting itself to that dimension: in fact it dredges up certain indie rock atmospheres from A Fine Day to Exitas well as a certain veil of melancholy that brings to mind the sensations I had while listening A Natural Disaster for the first time. An undoubtedly beautiful album. Welcome back Danny.
In a 2024 in which the super-mainstream bands that we listened to in the 90s have released nice records (Green Day, Linkin Park, The Offspring), if not exactly beautiful (The Cure, Pearl Jam), another ultra-megamainstream character also wanted to have his say. Reverend Manzo hasn't let us lose sleep for eons and that it doesn't scare anyone anymorenot even the old lady from the most retrograde town of Barbagia, and it's been years since we made peace with the above truths. What remains, at least for some, is curiosity, especially since Manson has been around for a few years now it doesn't really suck shit anymorethat is, he has appeared to be in good shape for a few years, at least musically speaking. So the curiosity, at least of the undersigned, from morbid has become sincere again.
We Are Chaos I had come across it by chance and it had struck me quite a bit. Ok, there wasn't Satan, the rot, the pessimism & the annoyance, but with a dick the size of a house I'll tell you how well thought out that album was. One Assassination Under God it varies slightly in tone and, I'll say it straight away to anticipate any questions, it confirms itself as a very honest work. It is a much lighter album than the previous one, more sung and genuinely rock. Still generalist radio rock, but that's it, you don't have to justify yourself now. There is nothing morbid or sick here, even if the magic word “sick” is often repeated, a poor artifice that seems to want to induce the casual listener into the moods previously automatically generated by other genuinely disturbing albums. Apart from this forgettable nonsense, the album flows well, is well played, better produced, with good ideas and a “hook” in almost every piece. The closing song, Sacrifice of the Massis clearly the Madeleine by Proust of which the need was felt. An album that you can hardly not like. (Charles)
