Monday 29 May 2017

Jesu - Everyday I Get Closer to the Light From Which I Came


I have a few Jesu albums and, in all honestly, I struggle with all of them. I have the self-titled and Conqueror on cd and neither of them get that much play - they're long and hard work and I don't feel I get much out of them. Lifeline, however, is incredible and whenever I want some brooding showgaze, that record is where I go. Perhaps it's just that I can enjoy his music for shorter periods of time only.

Luckily, Everyday I Get Closer to the Light From Which I Came is a much shorter album. Sadly, it didn't come with a download code, so I've not listened to it as much as I'd like to have. I bought it on something of a whim one day in Banquet - they don't tend to get much stuff like this in, so I think that was a part of it. I think the fact it was only five songs long appealed to me too, given the above. Plus it's on coloured vinyl, which I'm a sucker for. I also find I'm willing to give bands chances beyond the normal limits if they've done at least something that I loved - Lifelines was that for me with Jesu.

It's a nice album - certainly more listenable than Jesu or Conqueror in my opinion. Homesick feels weak lyrically, but Comforter and the title-track are musically far more interesting than I've been used to from Justin. The lengthy The Great Leveller has a lot going for it too - a stretched out intro followed by the first heavy guitars in the album plus a string orchestra. The only thing I don't particularly care for is the hint of auto-tune in the vocals.

Format: 12"
Tracks: 5
Cost: £17 new
Bought: Banquet Records, Kingston
When: 25/01/14
Colour: Gray
Etching: none
mp3s: no