The Murder Capital return with long-awaited sophomore album ‘Gigi’s Recovery’
When the news broke that Dublin quintet The Murder Capital were releasing a new album, at first, I didn’t know what to think. Was the new record going to see the band push themselves to higher climes, or were they to deliver a carbon copy of their debut, 2019’s When I Have Fears? Such is the nature of the questions concerning second albums and the syndrome that is typically associated with them.
Even though it was heavily inferred in the artistic flourishes of their debut, The Murder Capital’s second album Gigi’s Recovery, is a real thing of beauty. The LP has the power to pleasantly surprise even long-time fans of the band. Whether it be the production, the expansive textures, or the quality of frontman James McGovern’s delivery and lyrics – the latter of which is best described as poetry – there’s a lot going on here to cherish.
Regardless of its undeniable brilliance, Gigi’s Recovery is a difficult album to describe, given its multifaceted layers. The glacial post-punk that first launched the band to greatness remains, but this time it’s augmented by a host of different aspects. These fresh angles have pulled the band out of the increasingly overdone genre and have seen them start to carve out a space that they can truly call their own.
By multifaceted, I mean that there are nods to the heady electronic climaxes of Jon Hopkins and Floating Points, luscious layering in the same tradition as My Bloody Valentine’s Kevin Shields, as well as dovetailing moments on the guitars (bass included) that are so piercing, they welcome memories of early Editors, White Lies and dare I say it, Bloc Party. The drive of the single ‘Return My Head’ is a glaring example of this.
Regarding the latter outfit, there’s a smattering of finales reminiscent of the autumnal beauty of their second record, A Weekend In The City. With the 2007 work being a triumph of composition, performance and production, it’s significant that this comparison is made. For this connection, look no further than the climax of ‘Only Good Things’. The melodies instantly lodge themselves deep in the brain. The way the bass slides into the glistening guitars is a sonic delight.
When the album commences with the spacious ‘Existence’, it’s hard to tell what’s in store. But it must be said that the record gradually metamorphoses from what appears to be an experimental body of work into a full-blooded artistic triumph that contains a smattering of moments of genuine profundity that require second, third, and fourth listens.
From ‘Ethel’ to the title track, many moments of brilliance are on Gigi’s Recovery, with every band member taking the quality of their output up a few notches. As it roars along, the record evolves into a more transcendental character, leaving a mark in the way contemporary albums often don’t. In a simple yet effective stroke, it returns home with the final piece, ‘Exist’, a musical sister to the opener that elicits quiet introspection.
A personal highlight is ‘The Lie Becomes The Self’, one of the record’s slower, more languid pieces that owes a lot to trip-hop and jazz. Closing the song, McGovern delivers what might be his best lyrical moment to date: “What is it all about if I can’t hear your laugh?” A clear ode to a loved one, it’s simple but incredibly effective as the music melts away in the background.
Gigi’s Recovery is out on January 20th.
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