Savages
Adore Life
[Matador]
After their 2013 debut, Savages went from an essentially unknown post-punk art project to magazine cover stars that anyone with an interest in guitar music was obliged to have an opinion on. With a confrontationally candid and raw approach to songwriting, Savages were readily and regularly portrayed as antagonists above all else, a quality that was seemingly best illustrated on last year’s epic standalone single, the joyously brutal Fuckers.
With benefit of hindsight, Fuckers, despite it’s title, marks an essential point of evolution for Savages. Now characterised by the band themselves as a direct message to their fans, with the only lyrics being “Don’t let the fuckers get you down”, Savages had shifted focus from kicking *against* the fuckers themselves to offering words of comfort and support to their ever growing faithful. It was the first hint of a more touchy-feely, less savage Savages. This new mode runs through their latest LP, Adore Life. It’s a record built on the dialogue between act and audience, a collection of transmissions often aimed squarely at their fans, with the title track in particular operating almost as an aural “Hang in there, baby” poster, maybe with a stressed looking Ian Curtis replacing the kitten.
That’s not to say Savages have been entirely declawed, they’re still at their best when channeling, on a smaller scale, the sweeping, doom-laden drama of Swans and the understated, rumbling low-end provided by bassist Ayse Hassan is worthy of particular praise. Structurally speaking though, these songs can leave something to be desired, as if the band’s urge to love and be loved has robbed them of their capacity to really challenge their audience in a satisfying sense, a quality that for many is necessary to elevate any post-punk act to the level of the truly great.
Words: Danny Wilson
Like this? Try these:
Chelsea Wolfe – Abyss
Swans – The Seer
Self Defense Family – Heaven Is Earth
