The Owl Service - A Garland Song (Southern)
3/5
By: Charlie Potter
A lot of fans of experimental music seem to be into free folk/psych folk at present. It would seem like there is a belief that it is one of the most interesting and original types of music of the moment, but I'm never convinced that it is all that experimental or even deserves a name other than folk, to be honest. Even some band like Wooden Wand, as much I like them, make me feel 'so what?' The Incredible String Band have been doing this for decades.
But The Owl Service are a little different. I still feel that there is quite a knowing, slightly distanced attitude to folk with this band that also can be found with free folk. The Owl Service owe a lot more to people like David Tibet (mastermind of Current 93 and a truly experimental force in music) than The Incredible String Band, so much so it is uncanny. The big difference between this band and Current 93 is in the approach. Whereas on albums like Swastikas for Goddy David Tibet seems to be using folk to aim towards a darkness, this band seem to be more concerned with the pagan-like folk aspect and are merely portraying the darker side of this aesthetic as a necessity of balance. It's almost as if this music is a document of a half history that is clouded by fictitious films and literature. I'm sure that The Owl Service are completely aware of this - there is no way they would stick the occasional electric guitar on here and use all that thick bass if they wanted to somehow accurately portrait some period of history, although this album undoubtedly conjures some very retrospective imagery.
Most of the music on A Garland Song is suitably dark, but it seems that in an attempt to provide a more rounded story The Owl Service have strayed out into more upbeat territory here and there, and whereas this arguably works in terms of making a more interesting record overall, the songs that are here for this function seldom make enjoyable listening. I'm sure I will read a review of A Garland Song that says the exact opposite, but for me, tracks like 'Apple Tree Man' are a little much to take. Doubtless there will be some people who love this song because it sticks out like a sore thumb and is painfully catchy, and sometimes even provides an oddly Britpoppish feel, but as anyone who remembers the song 'Saturday Night' by Whigfield will admit, catchy does not really equal good.
The other thing that The Owl Service share with Current 93 is the sound of the production. Although A Garland Song is unmistakably a much thicker, clearer sound than any Current 93, it still does share the many, many layers of thinly weaved percussion and sound effects that stretch along deep caverns of skilfully perfected reverb, something which allows the music to be fantastically layered and yet still light. It gives the impression of very simple arrangements, but if you listen closer, you can hear they're not simple at all.
This is definitely an album that benefits from multiple listens. The simplicity of the compositions along with the carefully crafted production make for the most part very comfortable listening but, and I definitely think there are some interesting people behind this album, it feels a little too much like a project and not enough like a proper band. It's not that projects can't turn out to be good albums, and I'm sure that a lot of effort went into writing this music, it's just there is a depth that a song picks up when it has been kicked about for a couple of years that these songs seem to lack.
Artists in this article: The Owl Service
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