Having listened to Blaenavon for a while now – I was introduced to the Hampshire three-piece when they supported Sundara Karma last March, and I saw them playing to a much bigger crowd a few months back – I had high hopes for their debut album. That’s Your Lot was released on the 7th April; it’s a strong debut, blurring sub-genres of indie rock, folk and melodic pop to create a concoction of well-written and perfectly mastered tunes, as well as some ballad-like elements scattered throughout. Showing the depth their musical capabilities, That’s Your Lot is youthful, eclectic and eccentric, and well worth a listen.
The album opens with ‘Take Care’, a soft and sturdy track that builds as it continues. Though relatively forgettable as the album goes on, its place on the record is well deserved. Driven by the bassline, this song introduces the album aptly, offering wider album themes like hopeless love, youth and loss, as well as musical motifs such as unrelenting drums, guitar melodies, and lead singer Ben’s vocalisations.
Following this opening track is the dream trio of ‘Let’s Pray’, ‘Orthodox Man’ and ‘My Bark is Your Bite’. All previously released tracks, they add an element of familiarity to the album for those who already know the band; those for whom this album is the introduction to Blaenavon, these songs add a structure to the beginning of the album. Later on the album is another previously released track, ‘I Will Be the World’, from the Let’s Pray EP. This track begins slowly, opening melodically; it then explodes, with loud and intricate instrumentals dominating the track.
‘Let’s Pray’ initially seems uplifting, but the lyrics possess a certain melancholia. Indeed, Ben repeats “Let’s pray, let’s pray, let’s pray for death” above the musical flourishes. ‘Orthodox Man’ is the band’s take on a love song, presenting the hopelessness in infatuation; “seventh son or just your seventh fool / to make and strip the beds” frames the lyrical narrative of this playful, memorable track. ‘My Bark is Your Bite’ is among the album’s best, especially when it comes to the guitar pieces. The song builds and climaxes in the last chorus, creating a stand-out, perfected song to make the listener want to listen on.
The album then changes in pace. ‘Lonely Side’ has a mellow, steady feel; its experimental jazz nature is charming. Offering a break from the previous familiarity of the album, the vocals blend with the musical style to make for an ethereal sound. ‘Let Me See What Happens Next’ follows ‘Lonely Side’, which takes the album in a further direction. The guitars are pushed aside to make space for piano keys, ballad-like influences, and a much-needed calmness; this slight break in tone is needed amongst previous musical explosions.
‘Alice Come Home’ rises and falls in pace throughout its 6 minutes, ending blissfully, following the passionate lyrics and whimsical repetitions featured. ‘Ode to Joe’ features fairy-tale elements and poetic lyrics; it wouldn’t be out of place on the soundtrack to a fantasy film. The chorus repeats the line “‘I hear a new world, hear a new world calling me’ / I’m a new man”. Though it could be considered as slightly too long next to ‘Alice Come Home’ – both stand at 6 minutes – the track offers a further insight into the intense musical capabilities of the band.
The ending of the album truly begins with the third song from the end, ‘Prague ‘99’. Lifted from the band’s Koso EP from 2013, it has been re-recorded to create the song it deserved to be. Repeated is the chorus of “But it’s you I said, you keep running through my head / I swear it so”. It’s emotive, moving, and an instant classic.
The penultimate track on the album is ‘Swans’, an 8-minute-long masterpiece. It’s epic, emotional, and it builds, with the second half featuring lyrics such as “I’ll never leave your side / never leave you behind”. The track is long but intricately crafted; it takes time to reach its highest levels. As a result, it’s one of the stand-out tracks on the record. The final song is ‘That’s Your Lot’, a melodic and blissful track, which really is the perfect end to this album. Led by its guitar, the song plays on the whimsical fairy-tale elements in ‘Ode to Joe’ to encapsulate the myriad themes in the album. ‘That’s Your Lot’ contains some of the album’s best lyrics, including “I’m part cloth and part man”. The album thus ends with stillness, the perfect conclusion to the record, taking it away from the explosions featured earlier in the album.
That’s Your Lot is the result of five years’ work. It has been described by the band as “Everything we’ve ever known and everything we’ve ever felt”. Blaenavon should be proud of everything they have made, known and felt as it has led to the creation of this wonderful debut record. It has its ebbs and flows, its structure is magnificent, and there’s very little to criticise. Blaenavon, you did well. And that’s your lot.
Words by Caitlin O’Connor