Album review: The Physical World
by Death From Above 1979
Released by Last Gang Records
Standing in the shower, trying to come up with something long-winded and clever to say about Death from Above 1979’s sound inevitably ended with nothing. I would much rather trust a 75 per cent drunk, Pilsner-holding, Canadian twenty-something with this review than any other demographic, much in the same way I would direct you to a whiskey-drunk New Jerseyan to describe the positives of Bruce Springsteen. I trust both to tip their drink to you and say something along the lines of “You just have to listen.”
Not to diminish what this band is worth in words, but as their music proves, sometimes simplicity goes a long way.
Death From Above 1979 make funk-tinged pop-punk with an intensity and minimalism that puts them a step above their large crowd of imitators. The duo consists of a drummer and bassist, and uses this combination (and a lot of distortion) to crank out consistently catchy material.
The Physical World is inevitably going to draw a lot of comparisons to the band’s previous studio album, You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine. The two albums were released ten years apart, but sound as though they could have been recorded in the same session. This is great in many ways, as it shows that the band’s knack for writing hooks and raw energy have not faded over the years.
On the other side of this, the album doesn’t have many surprises, which makes it disappointing for those looking for unexpected turns or experimentalism.
This said, the album still does what it does very well. Single “Trainwreck 1979” is a pummeling jam broken up by funk interludes that give the song an added catchiness. Other highlights include “Government Trash,” a song that starts with a fast, thundering riff and doesn’t let up for the entire three minutes. The slower, softer “White is Red” also breaks up the album nicely from the middle with its melodic strength.
If you were one of the kids who dug into this band’s early material as much as I did (often) then it is impossible to say this album will disappoint.
The band has retained their punch over the years and clearly still are capable of sounding exactly like they did when they formed. The 75 per cent drunk, Pilsner-holding, Canadian twenty-something has been blessed another party soundtrack.
