It would be safe to say that I find most modern music to be a bore; there is something critical lacking from its chemical composition. Maybe I’m a cynic? Maybe it is because I am reading Murakami? Or maybe the industry has become so saturated with artists emulating success, that the passion and poetry that burned so bright has been extinguished.
That statement has grown truer by the day when it comes to hardcore music, bands investing more in to their tuning than their song writing to create ‘heavy’ sounds. But in this dark hour, La Dispute arrives precisely when they mean to.
Rooms Of The House is La Dispute’s third studio album and the follow up to the critically acclaimed Wildlife (2011). A lot can be said about the band’s formula, from the slam poetry delivery of the vocals to the groove driven guitars seasoned lightly in distortion, much care has been taken in the preparation of a sound that is heavy, but not for the reason you would expect.
Conceptually, Rooms Of The House has stuck to the tried and true formula La Dispute has refined over their career. Each song contains a small piece of the puzzle in a much larger picture, crafting a lyrical journey that deals with issues ranging from love and loss to mental illness and self-reflection.
Musically Rooms Of The House weaves a unique pattern of thick, fuzzy rage and soothing, spiritual serenity. This dichotomy proves crucial in cultivating the unique story and compliments the lyrical content, immersing the listener in to the fictional world.
Songs like ‘Stay Happy There’ and ‘First Reactions After Falling Through the Ice’ provided a savage side to the record, reminiscent of the sounds from Wildlife. While ‘Woman (In Mirror)’ and ‘Woman (Reading)’ provide an ambient contribution demonstrating the contrasting nature of life’s ups and downs.
Rooms Of The House is yet another polished release from La Dispute and is well worth a spin for fans of hardcore and poetry alike. A captivating record worthy of many repeat listens with a story that any audience can take something from.
8.5/10
Reviewer: Jack Lundie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqodIe1fhQ4