Club Kuru – ‘Before the World’ album review: introspective psychedelia
THE SKINNY: Before the World is a loosely conceptual record, the birthchild of a thousand rainy nights in South East London. Club Kuru, the British psychedelic rock outfit led by Laurie Erskine, have remained mostly dormant over the five years since their 2019 album Meet Your Maker. During these five years, Club Kuru circumnavigated the Covid-19 pandemic, a cumbrous creative block and personal struggles, and we’re glad to have them back.
Although the recording sessions for Before the World lasted just a couple of weeks, Erskine has patched together the material over a longer timeframe. Pivotally, he wrote much of the material in solitude, which gives the material a reflective nuance. In Before the World, Erskine releases his most introspective and sombre material to date. The themes of mortality pertain to a tragic loss in the singer and songwriter’s family, which fortunately preceded a new birth, as reflected in moments of hope.
Before the World, indeed, takes on a more morbid and ruminative tone compared to that of the project’s previous two albums. Erskine’s lyrics are mainly preoccupied with the beauty of the natural world, a classic mirror artists have used to express their emotions since time immemorial. Though these lyrics are unlikely to win poetry competitions, their main thrust is the instrumental cadence of Erskine’s voice and associative imagery.
The main attraction of this album is the psychedelic instrumentation, which flows in faithful matrimony with Erskine’s vocal performance. From soaring guitar solos to rippling piano balladry, the album takes stylistic cues from psychedelic and progressive rock influences of the late 1960s and ’70s. For optimal authenticity, the band recorded directly onto tape.
For fans of: Atmospheric psychedelia, Mother Nature and overcast evenings in London.
A concluding comment from Pink Floyd’s biggest fan: “If Pink Floyd wrote the Bible, Laurie Erskine is a faithful preacher.”
Before the World track by track:
Release Date: July 9th | Producer: Ben Landon | Label: Absolute
‘Who Am I’: Erskine opens his new album on a strong yet mysterious note. A pleasant, ethereal guitar progression blends nicely with jazz-inspired percussion. The somewhat generic lyrics won’t challenge Dylan, but in evoking imagery consistent with the music, they are effective. [3.5/5]
‘Gone Like A Flower’: Another dynamic guitar progression arrives with a more tropical tone. However, we are not quite basking in the sunlight here. Through waves of anthemic exhilaration, Erskine is reflective before a masterful guitar solo at the close. [4/5]
‘Before The World’: After a calming wind-chime intro, we launch into an attacking rock beat. But this tempo is broken up throughout the track for psychedelic parentheses before levelling out into another closing guitar solo. [3.5/5]
‘Sunshine Kiss The Water’: This softer ballad hears a great vocal performance from Erskine as the band channels the more atmospheric side of 1960s psychedelia that would soon bleed into the prog-rock era. [4/5]
‘Morning Bird’: Once again, trite lyrics are exonerated by a beautiful soundscape. Texturing organs, dynamic percussion and melodic lead guitar work elevate ‘Morning Bird’ to a degree of elegance typical of the band. [4/5]
‘Blue Sky’: A break in the tempo gives rise to another tranquil ballad. ‘Blue Sky’ is more evocative of nighttime with its dark dreaminess. Again, the organ is used to great effect with some more attractive guitar melodies. [3.5/5]
‘The Sound Of Wings’: The cover of night prevails as we sail to the moon. A soft piano rhythm drives this emotional ballad as Erskine sings of his faithful convictions, presumably addressing a romantic interest. Choral backing vocals help to elevate the intensity in the second half of the track. [3.5/5]
‘White Doves’: Maintaining the avian theme, Club Kuru leave us with a summary of the textures covered throughout the album, with a piano-driven intro, towering guitar solos, waves of gentle percussion and climaxes of vocal harmony. [3.5/5]
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