Cowards (Deluxe Edition) ［LP+10inch］＜タワーレコード限定/数量限定盤＞

U.K. combo Squid have an elasticity that allows them to leap outward in multiple directions while always snapping back to their core sound. Their debut, Bright Green Field, was their most kinetic, while its follow-up, O Monolith, funneled the bands energy into more exploratory and progressive avenues. On Cowards, they introduce a unified theme that theyve juxtaposed against some of their brightest and most melodic tracks to date. Generally speaking, Cowards is an album about evil. Under that black umbrella, Squid examine murder, narcissism, weakness, ego, and general wrongdoing. These subjects dovetail quite nicely into the groups already anxious post-punk style, though, interestingly, the album feels more exciting than grim. Over a decor of shimmering arpeggios and harpsichord, singer/drummer Ollie Judge applies cold, demented glee to "Crispy Skin," a song about cannibalism. "Building 650" is another standout with a gorgeous string arrangement that explores a protagonist too weak to disavow a friend who is clearly evil. The psych-Krautrock epic "Cro-Magnon Man" spans millennia of darkness, past the age of humanity. There are references to the Manson murders and other bleak tales of tragedy, alienation, and cowardice, where characters are seemingly unable to oppose darker forces. However, where their lyrics fail to uplift, Squid are, as ever, a uniquely propulsive unit who seem to recycle their own energy and maintain that patent elasticity throughout. The arrangements here are surprisingly ornate, bordering on chamber pop. There is a heavier reliance on acoustic instrumentation, strings, brass, and odd percussion as well as guest vocalists like Rosa Brook, Clarissa Connelly, and Tony Njoku. Aiding and abetting the band are producers Marta Salogni and Grace Banks and mixing engineer John McEntire. Squid are still in the early part of their career, but with each record, theyve shown a remarkable adaptability and willingness to change, without losing what makes them special. ~ Timothy Monger

クラウトロックやポスト・パンクを影響源に鋭利で緻密なサウンドを鳴らしてきたブライトン発の5人組は、この3作目でさらにヴァージョンアップしている。マルタ・サローニらを招き、壮麗なストリングスやポスト・クラシカルなピアノを中心にアンサンブルを構築。ひときわ優美な作品だが、その内側には猟奇性を隠しており、底の見えない深淵に惹き込まれる。
bounce (C)田中亮太