On
What Am I Doing?
,
Lushes
gave their experiments free rein, but on
Service Industry
, they're bound by a common theme. Recorded during a time of personal and financial stress,
James Ardery
and
Joel Myers
' second album expands on their flair for giving their freewheeling songs emotional heft. This time they work with a palette of anxiety, tedium, and rage -- not the prettiest colors in the mood paint box, but they use them boldly. It's clear that
's contents are under pressure:
Myers
Ardery
sound like they're at odds with everything, even (maybe especially) themselves. The feeling that they're looking for a fight permeates songs like the ode to instant gratification "Low Hanging Fruit," where deadpan vocals jostle against surging riffs and an abrasive violin that evokes shredded nerves.
' drums land like blows on "Auction" and "Check," but
isn't just about volume. Instead,
polarize the album's sounds and moods, juxtaposing drudgery and rebellion, explosions and hollowed-out aftermaths. Indeed, several of
's most striking moments are quiet, capturing the uneasy yet tedious feeling of life passing by in dribs and drabs. With the refrain "Grey tiles, take me home," "Grey Tiles" could be an office worker's spiritual; the sickly drone that lingers in the background on "Hyperaware" is as persistent as the buzz of fluorescent lights. As powerful as songs such as the wearily beautiful "Bleach" can be,
are still at their best when they play with dynamic contrast. "You Only Have" pits lumbering existential angst against pummeling skree, recalling the sudden outburst in
Suicide
's "Frankie Teardrop" -- another song inspired by desperate working stiffs. "Circus," meanwhile, plays like a more grown-up version of
, with
Zs
'
Sam Hillmer
adding a tinge of free jazz with his saxophone. The seven-minute "Shed Weight" is another standout, moving from tender to abrasive as it plunges into drums and feedback. While
's grinding intensity isn't always as much fun as
, in many ways it's more realized, proving that
' powers as one of the most expressive bands out there are only growing. ~ Heather Phares