FILE UNDER: Blur meets New York Dolls.
CORPORATE LINE: Spending the autumn of 2003 making demos and most of 2004 recording, The Ark finally unveiled their third album, State Of The Ark, on December 27. The first single, “One Of Us Is Gonna Die Young,” had already zoomed up to the top of the Swedish charts, and the album would follow the same path in the first weeks of 2005. The new Ark sound was met with overwhelming reviews, although some complained that they missed the band’s complex pomp rock style. “I don’t think the songs on State Of The Ark are less complex, they just sound simple – and we’ve worked our asses off to make them sound that way. It’s dead easy to make a song sound like it’s difficult – I can write a string arrangement in my sleep – but to strip a song of all unnecessary baggage and make it move, make it immediate, that’s the hardest thing of all.”
With songs like “This Piece Of Poetry Is Meant To Do Harm,” “Rock City Wankers,” “Clamour For Glamour” and “Trust Is Shareware,” The Ark has written a new and surprisingly entertaining chapter in their ongoing “Arkist Lust-Manifesto,” which takes them back to the core of the band, re-inventing their sound in the process. Propelled by a relentless beat and surrounded by buzzing low-resolution guitar riffs and weird keyboard noodlings, even Salo’s crystal clear voice sounds more relaxed and inspired than ever. “I guess we all felt we didn’t have to prove ourselves anymore,” he smiles. Judging from the assured performance on State Of The Ark, he’s probably right.
THE GOOD:
“This Piece Of Poetry Is Meant To Do Harm” – A melodically mesmerizing break-up song. It’s impossible not to replay this song over and over again as the hook and bouncy beat moves the listener along.
“Let Me Down Gently” – A gorgeous ballad, that sounds like early Blur, about being on the wrong-side of a break-up.
“Deliver Is From Free Will” – These boys really have been listening to a lot of Bowie. Not only is it a quirky song that sounds good and could have been a B-side from Ziggy Stardust. The Ark does a great job of delivering a miracle.
THE AVERAGE:
“Rock City Wanker” – Going from the brilliant “This Piece Of Poetry Is Meant To Do Harm” to “Rock City Wanker” sounds like a completely different band. How a band could go from one great song to something far below par makes no sense.
“Clamour For Glamour” – The hook is solid if not a bit on the weak-side of the New York Dolls.
THE BAD:
Nothing.
FRANKLY: The Ark rides the fence between great and unassuming. With a few fabulous songs and a few average tracks State of the Ark isn’t tough to recommend. However in the wonderful world of buying songs online go for the three good songs and you’ll get the best there is to offer from the Ark.
+ Rae Gun
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