It was probably one of the most confusing spans of forty eight hours I've ever experienced.
Some of the songs on it I loved ("My Secret Friend", "Kingdom of Welcome Addiction", "Think of England", "The Great Shipwreck of Life", "Tear Garden"... in fact, the majoritory) but some just made me annoyed, and disappointed at how little they had to offer me.
Because there is this thing that, amoungst different other things, pretty much all IAMX songs are about, and it's hard to explain. You know that feeling, that horrible dragging down inside your head, a quiet and pessimistic understanding that there's no escape, that they're all idiotic, right-wing fuckwits who're uncapable of thinking for themselves. It's also boredom, more than anything else, and anger. But in some ways I think that's the fuel behind every song, and maybe that's a good thing, because it's good for a band to have an overall attitude, but sometimes to me it seems tired and it seems like whining, and I feel angry that someone of such musical talent puts every ounce of it into this.
I like it a lot, and it works for him, but I'd like something different every once in a while.
I was excited when they announced a new album this spring, mainly just because it could mean I get to go see them, and was even more excited back in October, when some songs from the new album they'd played in Prague were up on Youtube. They border on cabaret music, and a lot of people were angry that they seem to be slipping away from their old style. The electronica of "Kiss & Swallow" was most definitely lost. Honestly, I didn't feel like I minded that much, because in my opinion, most of the times bands and artists have evolved and changed dramatically, it's been for the best.
At some point a few weeks ago, I came home to see it all over Twitter that IAMX's new single, a song called "Ghosts of Utopia", would be debuting on Czechoslovakian radio that night. I couldn't hear it: I went out somewhere and couldn't get the internet where I was, but as soon as I was home I went on to Youtube, and luckily a few people had posted the song.
Here it is. Listen and read.
I knew within about twenty seconds that I was disappointed, and it grew inside me until after playing "Ghosts of Utopia" twice, I was in a state of anger and I turned my computer off, because everyone else seemed to like the song and I couldn't understand, and I was mad at one of my favourite bands for not being awesome when I needed them to be.
It was like listening to "Kiss & Swallow" again, back to the start, except the lesser songs, the ones you could count as album fillers. It was so electronic and shallow, and I couldn't find anything in it at all.
The next day I tried again when I got home from school, and I found I could hear better, somehow. Once the chorus was in my head and it was familiar, it started to grow on me and I started to feel better.
And then I thought about it for a while: of course the new album won't all be like this. I think maybe they chose to release this one, which was techy (is that a word?) and electro and slightly less traditional, just to prove something after the Prague show. Hopefully, the new album has a little of everything, and everyone who likes IAMX can take from it what they need to.
I told my friend I'd try to write a blog about narwhals today, and I didn't, but I will soon, honest. I'm sorry.
Today's also February 7th, the anniversary of the first time I ever saw Imogen Heap live. Yes, I'm celebrating. I actually just found the stuff I wrote for the blog I had back then, but I'll post it some other time, because I'm tired and I have a sort-of essay to write before I go to sleep. Blogger won't let me copy and paste.
Goodnight. May pretty, magical narwhals dance around in your dreams.
- Lizzie xxx
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