Preoccupations - "Preoccupations"

Now I usually try to keep an open mind when it comes to new releases, i seriously do.  I like to think I'll never know when an artist is going to surprise me with something I didn't expect to enjoy or not enjoy.  However, this album right here may be my most anticipated release of the year.  Preoccupations are fresh off a name change, they used to go by Viet Cong.  Viet Cong with their self titled debut last year seriously blew my mind, it was everything I wanted in a rock album and was probably the album I listened to most that year.  Then I saw Viet Cong live last year and my obsession with them grew even bigger.  They were playing a festival I was at, and after their performance, they were the most talked about band of the weekend.  Now, fresh off a name change, here's Preoccupations with their first album under this name.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGo7XyXgUJ4

Such a Classic

“Preoccupations” starts off with one of the earliest singles dropped from the album, and a track I’ve been digging for months, “Anxiety”.  “Anxiety” seriously is one hell of a way to start a Preoccupations album, as the atmosphere becomes bleak and chilly almost immediately.  True to it’s title, the intro is loaded with a distant chilly synth line and a slow, calculated bass hook, giving this a very anxious feeling.  Yes, the intro is a tad bit drawn out, but with all that risk comes great reward.  As soon as every other instrument comes chugging in, were dealing with nothing but gold.  Matt Flegel has such a cool voice, when he hits some of those low notes it’s nothing short of post punk bliss.  His voice always compliments the band’s sound and image so well, especially when its combating the strangely harmonious synths during the chorus.  The synths that float in here are literally the only thing hopeful in Preoccupations music, if you want to even call them hopeful.  “Anxiety” isn’t catchy, there are few harmonies, and if you’re having a good day it’s probably going to knock you down a few pegs.  However, it’s slow, bleak and calculating, and I love every single minute of it.  Also, right off the bat, it’s clear that Preoccupations are going for a much more electronic sound, compared to the more distorted fuzzy sound of their past, and they pull this sound off wonderfully.   Up next is “Monotony”, and yes, even their song titles are depressing as all hell.  Right off the bat, those cold synths and drums are back, but this time with a little more guitar making it easier to swallow for casual listeners. The vocals on the other hand are a little harder to grasp this time around, mostly because Matt Flegel’s vocals are absolutely drenched in affects this time around.  “”Monotony” though almost has a slight new wave feel to it which lightens things up and keeps you interested.  Plus, Matt Flegel’s more higher pitched vocal work here is something you don’t hear much at all, and it’s actually done really well.  Outside of that though, “Monotony” is fairly tame, not bad, but I expected just a litttttle bit more.  Let’s move on to something I CAN rant and rave about on the other hand, “Memory”.  Now any fan of Viet Cong will know that they concluded their debut album with “Death”, an 11 minute post punk epic that was absolutely mind-blowing.  Seeing “Memory” stamped with that 11 minute time-stamp got me all worked up, and boy do Preoccupations deliver.  “Memory” has one of the more sinister, unsettling intros you’re going to find here, with distant synth leads and warm bass, as well as Flegel’s slow, booming vocals.   This here is an odd track, and as it goes on and on it just gets odder and odder.  The time signature here just makes everything a little hard to follow, and every other fantastic element that makes Preoccupations such a great act are right there as well.  However, when Flegel’s vocals fall out around the 3 minute mark, thats where the magic really begins.  With Matt Flegel gone you have nothing to save you, and the only thing you as the listener have to grab on to is the thumping bass.  All of a sudden, the sinister sounding drums begin quickly picking up, and before you know it your in the middle of an art punk/post punk classic.  As everything picks up speed once again, Matt Flegel is back with slightly more hopeful sounding vocals.  “Memory” is simply put, an experience.  If you’re not into the first few minutes of this one, I encourage you to remain patient and keep listening because it seriously pays off.  Some tracks when listening to them take you places.  As “Memory” shifted styles, changed pace, and went from one atmosphere to to another I was absolutely entranced.  To be honest, I would have been totally fine with this one acting as the album’s finale.  But hold on a minute, “Memory” isn’t done yet, because in the last 4 minutes the track changes once again.  “Memory” has gone from a post punk fan’s dream come true to a noise rock/drone fan’s wet dream.  Everything Preoccupations built up throughout the rest of the track is slowly drowned out by feedback in the most beautiful way, an experience ladies and gentlemen.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDQoc0cU-bs

Overall I honestly don’t have a lot of complaints.  For the most part, Preoccupations have assembled a really solid album.  There are a few kinda strange interludes towards the back end of this album though, that aren’t necessarily bad, but they aren’t really that memorable either.  Take for example “Sense”, which honestly doesn’t really waste a single second when it comes to building tension.  And why should it? I mean it’s only a minute and two seconds long.  What’s funny is, some of the harmonies here end up being absolutely stunning.  And….yea that’s about it, I mean there really isn’t that much going on here.  Then we have “Forbidden”, which clocks in at a whopping minute and thirty two seconds.  This one however has a whole lot more going on right off the bat.  The keyboards here are on the goofier side, sounding right out of The X Files.  Match that up against a truly unsettling guitar riff, and you have a pretty solid tune.  These detours do indeed break up everything nicely, they’re just a little bizarre.  But enough about that, let’s talk about how freaking awesome “Degraded” is.  We have all the usual suspects here immediately.  The intro synth’s are chillier than ever, and the moments that follow aren’t exactly that much more inviting.  “Degraded” I do have to say though takes a little too long to get chugging along.  Once everything does fall into place, we’re dealing with another truly classic Preoccupations tune.  The harmonious yet twisted chorus of “We’re absolutely obsolete” is literally the reason I fell in love with Preoccupations.  Not to mention, “Degraded” MAY be the most straightforward track overall, good show boys.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgFKdVVjh3I

“Stimulation” late in the track list may just be the most post punk track here.  Not only that, but it has a hell of a groove and right away will have you up wanting to move.  It’s also one of the most upbeat tracks here, and it’s seriously refreshing.  The vocals here are so frantic and rushed sounding adding a sense of urgency to everything.  Also, the breakdown in the last two minutes is absolute one of the most epic things I’ve heard here, with everything falling apart surrounding Flegel’s vocals as he screams for dear life “All Gonna Die”.  Not to mention after all this destruction, they zoom right back to the main riff and even add in some flashy synth pieces, just awesome.  Now let’s start rounding this down with some of my favorites here, like the eerie “Zodiac” that hits hard early in the album.  The intro is absolutely packed with pulsating synths that almost give this track a John Carpenter feel.  Flegel here starts off his vocal performance with “Another circumstance to blame , We’re all reluctantly engaged”, delightful.  The vocals throughout this entire track are absolutely out of control, they feel like they’re constantly changing throughout and never stay the same pitch for more than a few seconds.  While I absolutely go crazy for some of the more tension building, slower tracks on here, we forget that Preoccupations can seriously speed it up and jam out.  The synths that come in about a minute and a half in are absolutely breathtaking, and that pulsating beat that doesn't let up and keeps things nice and chilly.  Then out of nowhere in the last minute or so these outrageous tribal drums come out of freakin nowhere, “Zodiac” freakin’ rules.  This album is getting me out of breath just thinking about it, so lets just get to the finale, “Fever”.  Once again, right from this intro this sounds like something right out of a John Carpenter movie, thats not a bad thing at all either.  When it comes to these slower, more tension based tracks, Preoccupations are absolutely wizards.  “Fever” is by far the most haunting track on this entire album, with harmonious keyboards that sound more and more like something off of “Stranger Things” as the track goes on, and that thumping bass will keep you grooving.  “Fever” is far from the easiest track to get into here, but it’s so worth it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF_Lx0YotoQ

Rating : 8.4/10

Give A Listen To: “Anxiety”, “Zodiac”, “Memory”, “Degraded”

Overall Thoughts:  Overall, this is just another really solid release from these guys.  Obviously it's more electronic compared to the fuzzy, dripping in reverb album that "Viet Cong" was, but it makes it a nice change of pace.  They clearly aren't afraid to experiment, which is great.  My only real problem is the same problem I've had with them for 3 years now, I want more.  Their "Cassette" EP was just enough to get me interested, "Viet Cong" blew me away, but was only about 40 minutes long, and so was this album here.  It's a very comfortable album length, but I would just love for them to go nuts and give me an hour long album to feast on.