Madrugada - 'Grit' (Music For Nations)
3/5
By: Kari Wynn
Madrugada come from deepest, darkest Norway - a place where occasionally the sun doesn't come out and cold enough to make a polar bear think twice about taking up residence. Even the band's name is Spanish for the hour before sunrise. Darkness has come to characterise the band's sound - and, at their best, it's the shadows and a notion of the remote isolation from whence they came that seeps through every crevasse of their music.
Yet, 'Grit' suffers a bit from a feeling of disjointedness - like a band still deciding which way they want to go. The opening two numbers, 'Blood Shot Adult Commitment' and 'Ready' lean towards the band's evident punk-roots and come on like a love letter to The Stooges, but seem to be building up to something that they never quite get around to.
Further on, is where Madrugada truly start to shine. Bleak, psychedelic rock is something that Madrugada do very, very well - and 'Lucy One' merely serves to underline this. Gloriously Goth, with added edge, it sounds like Iggy Pop making out with Bauhaus. Bring on the black eyeliner. Tracks such as 'I Don't Fit' and 'Hands Up - I Love You', meanwhile, bear the shady echoes of The Jesus and Mary Chain or Mazzy Star with balls; deeply morbid, very nearly spooky.
But then, occasionally, they get a little bit country with their rock-n-roll, and tracks like 'Ready To Carry You' or 'Majesty' sound as if The Velvet Underground decided to move to Memphis, and showcased frontman Sivert Hoyem's rich, brooding vocals in a downtrodden, dive-o bar. There's no doubt about it - this band definitely wears their influences proudly on their sleeves. And for most of the album, this is definitely not a bad thing. Particularly when it's the spectre of the brothers Reid or Lou Reed.
It's often said that you should do one thing and do it well. In the case of Madrugada, it's amid their deep, gloomily cool vibe that makes you wonder why they try to do anything else.
Artists in this article: Madrugada
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